


Fix You

by A Small World (Datawolf39)



Series: A Little Thief of Hearts [5]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Akira is family to him, Bedtime Stories, Chihaya is a good friend, Coping, Cuddling, Dark Thoughts, Dreams, Emotions, Found Family, Gen, Healing Old Wounds, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, I keep making Akira sad, Im sorry so so sorry, Insecurity, Iwai is soft, Keeping Promises, Love, Nightmares, Non-Sexual Age Play, Panicking, Playdates, Sagwa, Sibling Bonding, Sojiro is talented, Sojiro needs comfort too, Some Fluff, T rating for references to all that trauma in the endgame, Temper Tantrums, The boys aren't the only ones that need love, Timeouts, Trust, Yusuke would love it my mind is made up, but I give him comfort, but not right away, emotional honesty, lied about the fluff being later, lots and lots of emotions, more trauma for Akira, not sorry about it, slander, stories, stuffed animals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-01-25 12:22:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 26,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21356200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Datawolf39/pseuds/A%20Small%20World
Summary: Aftermath of all that endgame trauma
Relationships: Iwai Munehisa & Kurusu Akira, Kurusu Akira & Phantom Thieves of Hearts, Kurusu Akira & Sakura Sojiro
Series: A Little Thief of Hearts [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1356886
Comments: 86
Kudos: 133





	1. Patiently Waiting to Fall Apart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it begins. I got inspired and a few hours later this was born. Not the best but it is a good start nevertheless.

Being released from the detention facility seemed like it took a really long time. The days dragged by, and eventually fell into a rhythm, a boring and mundane one to be sure, but at least he knew what to expect. In reality though, it was rather quick, all things considered, and he was sure he had his friends to thank for that. 

He could tell by the way Sojiro was looking at him, once he had settled in the car, that he was worried. Akira couldn't blame him for that. He was worried about himself too. Trauma had a way of sneaking up on people, especially in his case, and he knew at some stage or another all the hurt from the police, and bottling up the Little side of himself for months between the last Palace heist, and his detainment, would get expressed. Truly, he feared the moment that it really hit him, because he didn't know how or when it would happen, he just hoped that he wouldn't hurt anyone.

Not being Little had been one of the hardest things while he awaited his fate. He had become too happy with the arrangement he had with his friends, and for the first few days there had been so many times that he had almost slipped. Finding the walls that had gone unused for months was a painful process, and even if he wanted to, which to be honest he did, taking them down again would probably be harder than finding them had been.

He was at least able to set those thoughts aside when he arrived at Leblanc, and saw everyone waiting for him. When Morgana walked into the room, he felt at peace. They were all together again, his somewhat forced smiles became genuine, and for a moment he was able to forget.

Days passed, lulling him into a sense of security that he knew was unwise even as he felt it. Not that he was completely at ease, but it was hard to stay tense and wary all the time, and eventually he began to lack the energy to do so.

The others were clear in their worry though, and it wasn't going to let up until he finally broke. There were glances and a general feeling of unease as the days passed. They were waiting for him to have some reaction, but trying not to be obvious about it. He wasn't happy about that, he hated being a burden to them, but in a way it was part of the reason that he stopped worrying. As vigilant as they were they would know when the dam broke, and he had no doubt they would catch him. They were his safety net, and as conflicting as it was, his belief in them, made him relax, even though he knew that that trauma was going to hit him at some point.

One of the worst things to come out of it though, was that Yusuke refused to fall into Littlespace without him. It was clearly having a negative effect on him, and that he was suffering, but if anyone brought it up with him, he would just claim that he was tired from staying up late to finish a project. They all accepted the lie knowing that pushing would just hurt him more.

Akira wished that he could drop, but when he tried, alone at night in his room, the panic was enough to make him sick. The fear wrapped around him like a physical thing, and tightened around him leaving him breathless.

It was the day after one of these attempts, so he was already a bit on edge. Perhaps, if he had stayed home, he might have been able to work through it, but his attendance was already bad, and he wanted to leave Shujin with a good academic record. That was something that stunned a lot of people, but it truly mattered to him.

So he swallowed the unease, and caught his morning train. He met Ryuji on the walk to school and it settled him just a bit. His friends had the ability to calm him, and he would be forever grateful for that.

The blond boy was talking about some antic he had pulled off before Akira had transferred when it happened.

One of the beat cops passed them, and that was fine, he stiffened a bit, but it was still fine. All cops were not those monsters that had tried to beat answers out of him in a secluded room.

Then he smelled it. One of the officers was definitely a smoker, and that in combination with the cologne the man had applied a little too liberally was enough to send him back to that time. To that place of hurting, to the feeling of being held down and drugged. His breathing sped, his heart was beating so quickly he feared that the organ would burst out his chest, and his mindset dropped hard and fast. 

He felt a hand on his arm, and latched onto the familiar presence like a lifeline. "Ryu…" he managed, voice almost non-existent in his panicked state.

The hand moved from his arm, and an arm was wrapped around him, pulling him into a tight hug.

Thankfully he was too shocked, too overcome by the sudden change in his mentality, and the memories that had overwhelmed him, to even cry, but he let the arms, as familiar as his very own, hold him together. He had to trust that his family would fix what others had broken in him, and the thing that kept him from bottomless despair is that he did, he trusted them with everything he was, he just hoped they would feel the same after all that was to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes the title is from the Coldplay song of the same name.
> 
> How would y'all feel if I brought Sae onboard the 'Little Kira is the most precious thing since puppies' train?


	2. Bunny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Distraction for an upset Little.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got quite a few comments. Seriously guys this series has gone way further than I imagined, and I am extra proud of it, and the fact that so many of you have found it worth the read (and in some cases, a reread! seriously that is kinda crazy to me) is one of the most awesome things ever.

Ryuji Sakamoto could be patient. This was something that came as a surprise to some people because of his tendency to become hotheaded, and rush into things. It seemed like it would be two conflicting traits, but really it wasn’t. His tendency to be a hothead was tempered by the levelheaded people in his life, so Ryuji’s patience was simply saved for times that he truly needed it.

When Akira came home, subdued, and trying to pretend that he was fine after all the bullcrap that he had been put through, Ryuji knew that at some point his friend was going to have to work through that grief, and he knew that there was nothing that he could do, other than wait for it to happen, so he did. He would wait however long it took, and be there for Akira, because Akira was his friend, Akira had looked at him, not as some unworthy delinquent with bottle blond hair, but as a person, and later as a friend that he could depend on. Ryuji’s loyalty to him knew no bounds, and that was before Akira confessed about being a Little. After that, he doubted that there was anything that he wouldn’t do for his friend, and if waiting for the opportunity to care for Akira after all that he had been forced to go through to protect everyone, was what Ryuji had to do, well he would do it.

He could sense the time was coming, there was just something in the air. When he met Akira for the walk to school, he was surprised to see that Morgana was not with him. It wasn’t unprecedented, but it was rather unusual. Either way, in an effort to maintain some normality, he began chatting about something that he had done before Akira’s arrival. It was nothing important, he was just filling up the time between the station, and the arrival at school.

Then it happened. Two cops walked pass them, and he paid it no mind, they always saw the beat cops on the morning commute, and it had never affected Akira. Then a step later, he realized that Akira was no longer with him. His friend had frozen on the sidewalk, eyes seeing something that Ryuji would probably want to attack someone over. He put aside that impulse, and quickly moved back to where his friend had frozen.

He placed a hand on Akira’s arm, unsure if he would set him off, but hoping that it would comfort him a bit. Thankfully, it seemed the touch just brought Akira an awareness of his presence. 

“Ryu…”

The voice was a light whisper, and Ryuji almost missed it as the gentle breeze of the morning went past him. He quickly moved his hand, pulling his friend into an embrace. He didn’t care what anyone thought, half the people in school made assumptions anyway.

Kira clung to him, resting most of his weight against him, and he was grateful for all that training he put in, otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to hold both of them upright.

The blond teenager, managed to pull the two of them against a wall, that resided between two buildings, which allowed him to pull one hand away, so that he could get his phone. He quickly opened the group chat.

It seemed like an eternity had passed before he saw the car pull up, and Makoto opened the back door. Ryuji made quick work of getting Akira in first, and then himself.

Akira seemed to relax further, being between the two of them. Ryuji was so preoccupied with looking after Akira that he didn’t even notice who was driving the car, until she spoke.

“Is he alright?”

Ryuji didn’t know what to say to Sae so that left it to Makoto to answer.

“No, but he will be,” she replied honestly.

Sae glanced at the three in the rearview mirror, and was struck with the feeling that she didn’t understand even half of the woman that her little sister was becoming. The next moment, her eyes were back on the road, and in that split second she made the decision to get to know her little sister again.

The three teens in the backseat remained quiet for the entire drive, even so, she knew that a silent communication had been had, because when she pulled up to the house, Sakamoto, and Makoto, pulled Kurusu out of the car, with no help from the boy himself, and with a fluidity that spoke of prior experience, and a trust so deep that they were able to anticipate one another’s actions, they went into the house.

They settled Kurusu on the sofa, and then they looked at one another, then back to the boy on the sofa, and finally at Sae herself.

“Why did you bring us here?” Ryuji asked. His voice was just above a whisper so that he didn’t disturb Akira. There was a look in his eyes though, a hardness that spoke louder than his words, and demanded absolute honesty.

“It seemed the most logical option,” Sae started. “Makoto has been worried, and I thought it might have to do with Kurusu. When she begged me to come get the two of you, I was certain of it, and neither of you seemed to be ready to provide answers, so I took you to the closest safe place available. Also I confess to, curiosity, and some worry of my own. I saw what they had done to him, and I was concerned for his well being.”

Ryuji studied her, and Sae let him do so without protest. “He trusts you enough that he told us we could confide in you if we ever needed to, and you saved his life, so I guess I can trust you too. I had to be sure though, he, well he’s done way too much for me, so anyway that I can protect him, I will. Akira needs protection, especially right now.”

Sae frowned in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Watch. Don’t react yet, just watch.”

At that moment, Makoto, who had dashed to her room while Ryuji was talking to Sae, returned with a large duffel bag.

She placed it by the sofa, and Ryuji and Sae walked over. Ryuji walked into Akira’s line of sight, but Sae paused just outside of it.

Makoto knelt down, and ran her fingers through Akira’s hair.

Akira stirred just a little, leaning into the affectionate touch. When his eyes opened though, there was already tears. His face crumbled in a matter of seconds, going from sleepy unawareness, to heartbreaking sadness. “Mako…” it was all he could manage, in his broken voice before the tears began to cascade like a waterfall.

“Shhh,” she murmured, pulling him into a hug, and sitting on the couch next to him. “I’m here, I’m right here.”

His cries intensified, and she kept holding on, rocking them a little, just to give him something else to focus on. After a few moments though she began to worry about him, because his breathing was getting ragged. A rustle caught her attention, and she glanced over to see Ryuji looking through the duffel. After a moment of searching, he pulled the bunny from the bag.

He took the toy, and gently rubbed one of the ears on Akira cheek. Then he bumped the same cheek with one of the bunny’s paws. That got Akira’s attention, and he turned slightly. His eyes lit a little when he spotted the bunny, and he made grabby hands for it.

“Who’s your friend there?” Makoto asked.

Akira frowned. “He no name,” his lip began to tremble. “Yu… me and him got bunnies. No name them. Bunny not want be Kira friend. Kira mean and bad.”

“Hey, that’s not true at all,” Ryuji said with a firm tone. “Would the bunny be here if he didn’t love you? Why don’t you give him a name now, he’s been waiting, he told me so.”

“Rweally?”

“Really. Hey can I tell you a secret?”

Kira nodded, he loved secrets, and he was real good at keeping them.

“Well, everyone has been super worried for you, and we made sure we would be ready to help when you needed us. Each of us made a bag for you,” he pointed to the duffel, “the bunny chose this bag, just so he could be here if you needed him. Would he do that if he didn’t love you?”

“Bunny love me?”

“Of course, you are very lovable, and the bunny is a good judge of people,” Makoto said.

Akira brought his fingers to his mouth, but before he start to bite on them, Makoto pulled out the tags, and put them around his neck. Kira hummed happily, and began to chew on them.

He held the bunny up, studying the fluffy toy, and then pulled him into a hug. “LJ,” he said, his voice slurred because of the tags.

He yawned, and rubbed at his eyes with his free hand.

“Seems like someone needs a nap,” Makoto teased gently.

“Jus woke up,” Kira grumbled before yawning again.

“And here I was thinking you would like to wear this,” Ryuji said with exaggerated sadness. In his hands was a bunny onesie, and he started to put it back in the bag.

“Kira want!”

“Ryuji don’t tease him like that,” Makoto chided.

“Okay, okay,” Ryuji said holding the onesie up again. “Do you want to change or should we help?”

“Need help,” Kira said, tugging at the buttons on his blazer.

Between the two of them they got his uniform off quickly. Judging from the way he was acting, he was likely little enough to need some protection, so they wasted no time diapering him up. His face was flushed as they did it, and he hid behind LJ, but he didn’t put up a fight.

Once the diaper was secured, Akira was lovingly bundled in the bunny onesie. He was half asleep by this point, but clearly fighting to stay awake.

“How about a story?” Makoto suggested once they had settled Akira on the sofa.

“Story?” Kira mumbled sleepily.

Makoto pulled out a book. It was clearly homemade. The pages were laminated, and bound along the side where the lamination went beyond the page. “This one is called Logan and the Dragon.”

Akira perked up a little, and focused on Makoto.

“Once upon a time there was a bear that lived in the forest. His name was Logan, and he was very lonely,” she read. When she showed the picture, Akira found himself looking at a picture of Logan. The bear was surrounded by a swirl of darkness, and looked very sad. “One day, he heard that a dragon was living in a cave nearby. All the animals were scared of the dragon, and Logan thought, ‘Maybe he will be my friend.’"

Akira tried to stay awake, but between cuddling with his bunny, listening to a story, and the pacifier, that was also bunny themed, in his mouth, he was asleep before Makoto could finish the story.

Makoto put the book away, and Ryuji covered him with a thin throw blanket not wanting him to overheat or be too cold. Once he was resting peacefully, Ryuji, and Makoto turned their attention to Sae. She was standing there, where she had been the whole time, seemingly frozen. Neither of them could tell what she was thinking, and they could only hope that she would be accepting of this facet of the relationship between Akira, and the rest of them.

"He's a Little," Sae whispered once she found her voice.

Makoto, and Ryuji blinked in surprise. They had expected shock, they had feared disgust, but neither of them had anticipated that Sae would completely understand what was happening without an explanation. 

Makoto was the one to voice the question that came to both her, and Ryuji. "Sis...how do you know that term?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was...fluffier than I thought it would be, and I'm kinda happy about it. Okay the ending of this one completely surprised me. It happened in the final edit of this chapter. I don't even know whats going on here, but I look forward to finding out.


	3. Sae

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys are reunited, and a little bonding with Sae.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone.
> 
> That is all, please enjoy the chapter.

Sae was quiet for so long that Makoto wondered if her sister had even heard her question. When she did, speak her voice was very soft, and rather hesitant, which was surprising given her usual confidence. “I... had a roommate when I was in college, her mother was out of her life, and her father, was at the very least... verbally abusive. She used regression to cope with her situation.”

“Were you her caregiver?” Makoto asked.

“I suppose I was. I stayed with her when she regressed, she wasn’t as young as Ku- Akira seems to be though, she only had a few toys, and a coloring book. She transferred to a different college after that first year, I was concerned about her, but that’s when everything changed for our family. I had no time to worry about anything besides taking care of you, finishing my courses as quickly as I could, and passing the exam.”

“I’m sorry,” Makoto said.

Sae looked at her. 

“You pushed so hard to take care of me, and I rarely ever thanked you for that, i was just so selfish.”

“Makoto,” Sae said, moving over to her, and pulling her into a hug. “You’re my little sister, taking care of you isn’t something that you need to thank me for, and I’m sorry that I made you believe that you needed to.”

“Still, thank you. Thank you for all you did even though it was hard. I love you Sis.”

“I love you too, Makoto.”

They pulled apart, and smiled at one another. Then Sae happened to catch Ryuji looking at her a bit oddly. “Is something wrong?” She asked.

“No, I just wondered if… nevermind it’s not important.”

“I feel like it might be,” Sae countered. 

“You do look serious,” Makoto commented.

Ryuji rolled his eyes. She seemed so surprised, but she was one of the few people that knew just how serious that he could get when it was called for. “Well, you sounded shocked when you said he was a Little, and when were talking about your roommate, you sounded, you know, like-"

Ryuji was cut off by the ringing of the doorbell. Makoto went to answer it, and Sae looked utterly relieved to have her sister distracted. She looked at Ryuji, hesitating before giving a shaky nod, trusting that he would understand the question that she was giving an answer to.

His eyes widened a little in surprise. She didn't know if it was because of what she had admitted to or the fact that she had admitted it at all.

Soon, they were both distracted from her admission though, because Sojiro was on the other side of the door, and he was supporting, a seemingly unconscious, Yusuke. The artist was pale at the best of times, but at the moment he looked very sick, tear tracks were visible on his face, and when he opened his eyes, they were as dull, and as lifeless, as a doll's.

"What happened?" Ryuji asked, a hint of panic in his tone.

Sojiro helped Yusuke further into the room.

Yusuke blinked mechanically, until his eyes fell on Akira, who was still asleep. He had kicked off his cover a little, showing a good portion of his rabbit onesie.  
With energy it didn't look like he had, Yusuke scurried over to the sofa. He looked at Akira, like he looked at the Sayuri. Like Akira was a wonder to the world, and it was a gift to be able to see him.

Akira slowly opened his eyes, perhaps feeling eyes on him. He pulled up the blanket, in an invitation that needed no words. Despite the fact that the couch was never meant to accommodate two teens laying down on it, side by side, they were able to make themselves fit. Akira turned on his side, and Yusuke clung to him, tangling their limbs together until they were a single lump under the blanket.

Sojiro smiled fondly at the sight they made, and then turned to Ryuji. "He passed out at school, the nurse called me, and I went to get him." Sojiro sighed. "Looks like his exhaustion finally caught up with him. What happened with Akira? The text said he had regressed, but what caused it?"

"We were heading to school, something made him flashback, not sure what, but he went into shock, when he snapped out of it he was Little."

"He was rather emotional in the short time that he was awake, and I think it is really likely that he will be regressed longer than he normally allows himself. I told the others what happened as well, and they are going to come over when school lets out," Makoto said.

Sojiro nodded. "I closed the shop to go get Yusuke, so would it be alright if I stayed for a while?"

"I don't mind. Sis?"

"Help me make lunch, and you can stay."

Sojiro huffed out a laugh. "Fair enough. We'll start in a moment, I packed a bag for Yusuke before I went to pick him up. I have a feeling he's going to stay regressed for a bit himself." Sae nodded, and Sojiro left out to retrieve the bag.

~

It was almost an hour before lunch was ready, as expected Yusuke and Akira we're still asleep. Nobody wanted to be the one to wake them, but they both needed to eat, especially considering just how badly they had been caring for themselves over the last few weeks.

Sojiro was the lucky one assigned to the task, and walked over slowly, giving them a few more moments of sleep, something else they had apparently been neglecting, and shook them awake.

Two sleepy sets of eyes blinked up at him. 

"Time to eat," he said softly.

The time between blinks became longer and longer, and Sojiro shook them again. They whined up at him, and glared. They looked about as threatening as newborn kittens, but he managed to stay composed. "You two need lunch. You can nap again later."

Akira sat up, and with that movement, Yusuke lost his balance and toppled off the sofa, and onto the floor.

"Kira," he whined dramatically rubbing at his side.

"Sowwy Yu," Akira paused, and rubbed at his eyes, as his face screwed up with confusion.

"Yu?" his voice was trembling now, and the name was clearly a question.

Yusuke blinked. "Yeth Kira?"

"My Yu!"

Before Yusuke could utter another word, he had a lapful of crying Little. Yusuke was shocked, but he held tightly to his brother. "Kira safe. Love you my Kira."

"No like alone. Was alone an' hurt an' scwared an' was 'lone! No more leave Kira! No more.... no more…."

"My Kira," Yusuke growled. "No one take you again. My Kira." 

"Since you have each other, guess no one wants me anymore," Sojiro said with a dramatic sigh.

Of course, being Little, they thought he was serious, and thus proceeded to sandwich him in a surprise hug.

"Always want Daddy."

"Papa mine too."

"Well now that that is settled, shall we have lunch?"

Both boys froze at Sae's voice. 

She realized in an instant that she had surprised them, and not in a good way. She was immediately sorry for it. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you two," she said gently.

Both of them still seemed hesitant to approach her, to even look at her, and she inwardly sighed. She truly hadn't meant to make them uncomfortable. Then she was hit with an idea. Moving quickly she headed towards her room. 

They all watched until she had disappeared down the hallway. "We make her mad?" Yusuke asked in a whisper.

"I don't think so," Makoto said quietly. "She looked like she does when she figures out something difficult."

A few minutes later, Sae returned. She had changed from her suit into a set of lounge pants, a shirt that was decorated with trees and the words 'leaf me alone'. In her hands, was a floor 40 piece floor puzzle.

"After lunch we can do this puzzle," she offered.

Yusuke looked at Akira.

Akira looked at Yusuke.

They did like puzzles, and Sae wasn't half as scary in pajamas and colorful fluffy socks. Also, she was Makoto's sister, and Makoto was super nice to them, even though she had seemed stern when they had first met.

They looked at Sae. She was starting to get slightly sad.

They looked at each other once again, gave a nod of agreement, and both dashed to the table. They sat in the chairs placed at the spots where plastic utensils had been laid out for them to use.

"I think you boys forgot something," Makoto said quickly as they reached for their spoons.

She mimed washing her hands, and they giggled and rushed off to the sink. "No running," Makoto called. When they slowed, she grabbed hold of Yusuke's arm. "Do you want to change out of your uniform?" 

Yusuke thought for a minute then nodded. "Kira-".

"No start eating til Yu back," Kira said.

Yusuke smiled, and Ryuji took his hand. "We'll be quick," he said and they walked toward the bathroom.

Makoto, Sae, and Sojiro made quick work of getting the table set, and the food served. 

When Yusuke returned he was wearing his wolf onesie, and was blushing a little. He plopped down in his seat next to Akira and they both grabbed their spoons, and quickly started in on the tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, that had been prepared for them.

"Slow down a little boys, you don't want to choke,” Sojiro cautioned.

There was no verbal response, both of them far more interested in getting the food into their mouths, but they did slow down enough for Sojiro to feel comfortable resuming eating his own lunch.

After they both finished another serving each, they went to wash their hands again, and then went into the living room, where Sae had left the floor puzzle. 

Sae sat on the floor with them, as the others cleaned the mess made from lunch, and together the three of them began fit the pieces in place.

"Here, you do this one," Sae said handing a piece to Yusuke, since he was closer to where it fit than she was. 

Yusuke took the piece and fit it into the puzzle, and then he picked up a piece and shyly handed it to Sae. She smiled at him, and put the piece in place.

“Do you not like puzzles?” Sae asked noticing that Akira just seemed to be watching as she and Yusuke put the pieces together.

Akira shook his head. “Like puzzles.”

“Is this one too hard?”

Akira shook his head again.

“Why are you not helping?”

Akira’s gray eyes seemed to be focused on something, but before she could comment, he smiled, and crawled over to Yusuke, and whispered something to him. 

Then the Little artist looked at Sae, before nodding at Akira. Sae frowned at this exchange. She was starting to feel self-conscious, and a little uncomfortable. She played with a piece of the puzzle, she had been looking for where it went before they started looking at her weirdly, and she wished one of them would just say something, anything, to break the tension. 

Kira looked up, and saw that the others were nearly done cleaning up, but they would be busy for a little bit longer. Slowly, scared to be wrong, but strangely hopeful, he asked, “Are you… like us?”

Sae jumped. She hadn’t thought, hadn’t considered that they might… notice. She should have been more careful, less obvious. Her body began to shake, as her thoughts spiraled. 

It had been years, years since the last time she had given in to the impulse, she couldn't even remember the last time she had given in. Somehow, maybe she had thought the act of playing with them would be enough to excuse her less than adult actions, and reactions. 

She had admitted it to Sakamoto, of course, that she did a bit more than act as a caregiver for her friend, but that could be explained away, but slipping, here, and now, that was inexcusable, she hadn’t even realized that the simple actions she had taken to make Akira, and Yusuke more comfortable around her, would have the unintended result of regression.

“I didn’t mean too,” found herself saying, startled at just how young she sounded.

Suddenly, the two of them were cuddled up on either side of her, puzzle abandoned in favor of offering comfort. Their arms went around her, binding her like a rope, but she didn’t even try to extract herself. Somehow, there was a great deal of comfort in this mess of a hug, and before she knew it, she was calm once more. Maybe this wasn’t a bad thing, she mused, maybe, just maybe, this was her chance to have something, something that she truly wanted for herself, something that she had denied herself for so long it felt like she had been denying it for an eternity. Tentatively, she let an arm go around each boy, part of her feared they might pull away, that in her attempt to hold them close she might push them away, but they simply settled more into her hold, both seemingly content to be where they were, and happy to remain there for as long as she wanted them to be. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had most of this written, but didn't know how to end it so the story took forever to update. Also was a little nervous about Sae in this one, but she does what she wants to and so it turned out like this. I'd love some feedback on this recent development.


	4. Saved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff sandwich with slight angst for the filling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took forever to write because it did not want to end. On the bright side more stuffie story yay!

“Is everything alright?” Sojiro asked with a worried frown when he found the boys tangled around Sae. Sae could feel herself begin to panic again the moment that he spoke, and the boys tightened their hold in response, as if she needed to be reminded that they were there. Maybe she did, because, to her surprise, she was beginning to calm down.

"Daddy," Kira whined upset that his daddy had made Sae panic again. They had just got her calm, and now they had to start all over.

Sae had tightened her hold on him, and a glance at her had told him that she was really scared. "Sae Sae was still sad dat me and Yu was fraid of her. We was saying sorry."

Sae saw what he was doing. The lie was a good reason for this three-way cuddle that didn’t reveal the truth, and she knew all she had to do was agree, and as long as she didn't do anything suspicious nobody, other than Kira and Yu of course, would know that she was any younger than she should be. It would be so simple, so very simple…

But... Sae didn't want to hide, not anymore. She didn't want to have to be a strong, confident, adult right now. She wanted to be Little and play with Kira and Yu, and be cared for by people that understood what she was, people who would not judge her for what she needed.

In her adult mindset asking for something that she truly wanted would not have been a problem, she had never desired much, her own needs often took a backseat to her job, and her sister, but when she did need something she had demanded and commanded that the need be fulfilled. She had been that way so long, that it had been her default setting in all areas of her life before she realized just how jaded she had become. As she was now though, she was far too timid to demand anything. Maybe, just maybe though, she could ask for what she wanted?

Gathering all the courage she had, she lifted her head a little so that she could see Sojiro through the curtain of her hair. Kira and Yu seemed to know what she was about to ask, because they somehow managed to shift closer, trying, and succeeding in, providing her strength with their very presence. 

"I was scared," she said. "They hugged me because I was scared."

Sojiro looked confused now. "Scared of what?" he asked.

"That they knew my secret."

"Your secret?" he asked, sounding more confused than before. 

"I am like… I want… I want to stay like this. Can I stay? I won't be trouble, I promise."

Sojiro let out a laugh and Sae froze. She knew this was a bad idea. Of course three Littles was one too many, there was no way that she, grown in body, would be as cute as the boys, and of course, given all that, this man wouldn't want to be her… She stopped her thoughts. If she kept that train or thought going it would be impossible to get out of her current mindset.

"Oh honey, I'm sorry I should have realized by your tone what was happening," Sojiro said gently, kneeling down so he was at her level. "I wasn't laughing at you, I was just shocked, and the first thought in my head was that Akira found another one. I had no idea about this way of coping before I found out Akira did it, and now I've met three wonderful people that do it."

"Can I stay?" she asked again with a slight blush, because he had said three wonderful people.

Sojiro smiled at her. "Of course you can, but-"

Sae felt her hopes rise and crash in the space of a few seconds. She had no idea what her expression was showing, but it must have been bad because Sojiro reached out and gently ran a hand through her bangs. "You can stay," he promised, "I just wanted to warn you that since you seem a bit older than the boys you might sometimes have to play games you feel too old for, and that the boys need a lot of attention being as young as they are, so depending on how many people are looking after you, their needs might need to be taken care of first. Are you okay with that?"

Sae nodded, and then looked down at the two boys, they looked back at her with pure affection.

"What do you two think?" she asked. Their opinion was just as important if not more important than anyone else's. They would be the ones that had to share the attention that, until now was given to the two of them.

"Sae Sae play stuffies with Kira and Yu?"

Sae nodded. Sometimes stuffies felt a bit babyish but she had a feeling that with them it wouldn't be anything to be ashamed of.

"Yu? Is Yu kay with Sae Sae as sister?"

Yusuke looked from Sae to Akira. 

"If you don't-" 

Yusuke cut her off by shaking his head. "I kay with it, but you thay right?"

"Stay? What do you mean?"

Yusuke frowned. "Thay wit me an Kira. Not leave after now ith done."

Sae still seemed confused. 

Yusuke whined in frustration.

"He's asking if this is a thing that will only happen once. If you will be Little now and then never again."

Yusuke nodded. "Papa right. I want thay that."

Sae had a sudden realization that this was real, but that if it was going to happen, it was all or nothing. She either needed to age up now, and tell them to forget the whole thing or commit to the vulnerability. Anything less would break a set of very fragile hearts, and she could not be the one to do that. She could not allow herself to be one of the rotten adults that the group had hated so much. 

“I can’t play every time, sometimes I have work, but I will play if I can.”

Yusuke seemed to digest this, and then she was treated to an angelic smile. 

Footsteps, that could only belong to Makoto, and Ryuji, made Sae tense again.

“It’s alright,” Sojiro said soothingly. He did not want to have to ward off another bout of panic, so he stood up, so he could sit on the sofa. With the current position, he blocked Sae from being able to turn around, and could reach her hair with ease.

Slowly, he grasped a section of her hair, and began to plait it. It was a little sloppy, since he hadn’t done this in a long time, but it held well enough when he let it drop from his hand, and thump softly against her back.

Yu and Kira were not surprised, but Sojiro figured that was more to do with the, ‘Daddy/ Papa, can do everything’ ideology they seemed to adopt when they were Little than anything else.

“Why are you plaiting my sister’s hair?”

“Well I thought it would be cute,” Sojiro answered, giving them a certain look, just as he finished the second plait.

Sae could hear Makoto and Ryuji move again, she shut her eyes both in embarrassment, and for fear of what she might see.

“It looks good,” Ryuji commented, as Sojiro started on the third plait.

At the gentleness in the tone, Sae decided to risk a peek at him. She gasped when she saw that he was sitting right in front of her, his smile was gentle, and welcoming, 

That gave her the strength to gaze at her sister. Makoto was smiling, but there was a sadness to it. “Why are you sad?” she found herself asking before she could hold in the question.

Makoto was startled by the question, she might have known that Sae would notice. “Later, when you can understand,” she answered softly.

“Okay,” Sae said.

“All done,” Sojiro announced, and Sae hurried off to see his handiwork. Yu and Kira followed her, giggling the whole way.

In her room Sae turned this way, and that, to see her hair. It was simple, but pretty, and she really liked it.

“Daddy did good,” Kira said.

“What dat?” Yu asked, pointing a something that had been shoved under the bed poorly.

Sae blushed.

“No need tell, if you no want to,” Yusuke told her.

She shook her head. “It’s fine,” she said, then she walked over and pulled out the mostly empty bin. There was another puzzle, and a horse with wings, and a horn. Yusuke frowned, would that make it a pegacorn or a unisus?

“Is it bad? I know I’m too old, but-”

“No! Kira and me have thuffie too. I not know what to call it. Pegacorn?” 

"Alicorn," Kira corrected.

Both of them looked at him, clearly shocked. He blushed, while he would admit to knowledge of a certain pony themed show, the knowledge was actually from a book of fantasy creatures that had been the only childlike thing to make the trip with him from his hometown.

He looked up to see that Sae and Yu were still looking at him. Yu seemed curious, Sae was too, but her look wss more intense.

With no warning he was thrown back to the interrogation room. To the people that had beaten and drugged him..

Fear had him panting, if he was Big he might be able to deal with this, to put it back in the locked drawer it belonged in, but as Little as he was he was too vulnerable, and all he could do was shake and cry as the memories consumed him.

~

Akira's shift from embarrassed to panic happened in the space of a second. Neither Sae nor Yusuke could tell what had caused it either.

Both of them fought their mental spaces, but the fight just sunk Yusuke so low that he couldn't stop the tears as be watched his brother fall apart. Sae gave up fighting seeing how distressed both boys were. Adult Sae would have been helpful, but she could still help even in her current headspace. "Go get your Daddy," she told Yusuke.

"Papa?"

Sae nodded. "I'll stay with Kira."

Yusuke nodded and ran to get Sojiro.

Sae walked over to where Akira had fallen, and tried to think of a way to calm him. She needed to give him something that was so outside the memory that he was experiencing that he would come back to her.

She looked around a bit frantically and caught sight of her toy. A story then. She loved to tell them and her alicorn loved to be part of them.

"Once upon a time, there was a kingdom of horses. The king and queen were from two different countries and had been arranged to marry to stop a big war.

"The king was a kind pegasus who became king when his father had died in the war. The queen was a sweet unicorn, who had agreed because her country would be ruined if the war kept going.

"They had three kids after they had unified and saved their lands. A prince pegasus, named Max, who was brave and noble, a princess unicorn, named Mary, who was kind and gentle, and every bit as brave as her brother. The third was a special child who was born with wings and a horn, which had never happened before. They named her Unisis. 

"Years later, an evil witch cursed the kingdom and all the residents in it. Killing magic beasts like unicorns and pegasi with magic would curse the witch and she didn't want that. So one night when most were asleep she cursed them to sleep forever, and as they did, any memory of them would vanish."

Sae felt Kira lean into her. She also knew the others were in the room, but she continued anyway not wanting to chance Akira falling back into his memories.

"When pegasi and unicorns came into their magic they slept for a week so that their bodies could get used to the change.

"The witch had waited until the week after Princess Unisis fell asleep, but what the witch didn't know was Princess Unisis's magic was so strong that she needed to sleep for two weeks.

"When the princess woke she found everyone was asleep, she could tell that it was not a normal sleep and she cried. She was all alone and she didn't know how to use her magic, so she didn't know how to fix it."

"How she fix it?" Kira asked. His voice was rough, but his expression simply showed curiosity.

"She... " Sae froze she never got this far and she had no idea how to continue.

~  
The dragon flew around growling as his senses told him that something was there and yet he was unable to see it. Then he felt a burst of magic and he landed as close as he could to it.

The creature he laid eyes on was a horse with wings and a horn. For some reason, she was familiar to him.

"Drake?" she questioned not believing her eyes.

The dragon roared. Part of him wanting to attack the other ready to destroy himself before he could do it.

A glow came over the two of them, as Unisis backed away, and the dragon wept. "My Princess," he said bowing to her.

"What happened Drake?" she asked walking up to him.

"An evil witch cursed the kingdom, her curse affected me differently than it affected the others. Maybe she did not know that there was a dragon in King Xama's service. Everyone was put to sleep, and I went mad with rage, nothing could calm me, and I feared that I would become a beast forever. I could not remember why I was angry I just was."

"Can we save everyone?"

"Curses are breakable, but I don't know how to break a spell this powerful."

The princess began to weep once more.

"Fear not My Princess," Drake said, wiping away her tears with a gentle clawed finger. "There is a tale of a good wizard that knows much. Perhaps he can help us."

"Drake? What's wrong?" Unisis asked when her loyal friend groaned. "I made a very bad mistake. We have to fix that before we can ask the wizard for help."

Unisis looked at Drake wondering what such a gentledragon could have done. Then she remembered the horrible look in his eyes when he had first approached. Drake as he was now would never hurt anything, but in that madness from before she could believe that he might make a great error.

"Let us go then. We can apologize and hopefully the wizard can help us."

~

"Why did you stop?" Sae asked as Yusuke put down the dragon.

"They go to wizard, we wait til back at Kira room."

Akira lit up like a Christmas tree. "Logan be the wizard?"

Yusuke nodded.

"How are you feeling, buddy? I heard some of those mean memories came to hurt you." Sojiro asked.

"I kay," Kira said slowly. "Sae Sae was a good sister. She made up story to tell. I felt Little. So knew I was safe."

"Come here kiddo," Sojiro said, Kira ran to him, and was quickly pulled into a hug. 

Kira held on tight to Sojiro, feeling warm, safe and protected. After a moment he found the courage to admit that he was wet. 

"Well we can fix that," Sojiro assured him. The man reaches for his hand and Kira gladly grabs the offered hand, willing to be led out the room to be changed.

"Good thinking you two," Ryuji praised when Akira and Sojiro had made it down the hall..

"You two did a very good job helping Akira feel better," Makoto added.

Yusuke smiled happily at the praise, positively ecstatic at the words, but Sae seemed not to hear them.

"What's wrong?" Makoto asked, concerned with the lack of reaction. 

The fact that Sae didn't react to Makoto being the one to ask showed just how consumed she was with her own thoughts.

"I need to be Big," she said. It seemed that it was meant more for herself than anyone else.

"Do you want to be Big?" Ryuji asked.

Sae looked at him like she couldn't understand why what she wanted mattered at the moment.

"Do you want to be Big?" he asked again.

Tears began to pool in her eyes as she shook her head. "Need to," she managed through her tears. 

Ryuji sat down next to her, and pulled her into a hug.

"What's the matter Sae-chan?"

Perhaps it was the name he had called her or maybe she had simply reached her limit, whatever the case, Sae broke.

"My fault!" she cried out. "I did something and it made Kira remember."

Makoto moved closer, and took a seat in front of her sister. "Was Akira mad at you?" she asked.

Sae looked at her, tears still falling, and shook her head.

"Anything could make him remember what happened to him, but he was happy because you helped him out of the memories, so you don't have to be sad or feel guilty."

"But-"

"Sae Sae?"

Sae turned towards the door and saw Akira standing there with Sojiro. He looked confused, and sad.

"I'm sorry for making you remember," she said, guilt making her feel sick, despite Ryuji and Makoto's reassurance. 

It also didn't help, that Yusuke seemed to have frozen in the face of her guilt. He had begun biting on his sleeve probably overwhelmed by all the emotions around him.

Kira dashes over to her, Ryuji, and Makoto coax Yusuke from the room, leaving the two of them to talk. She will have to apologize to Yusuke too, she truly is a horrible sis- older Little, already she has sent Kira into a panic attack, and upset Yusuke.

Kira reaches her and sprawls over her like a possessive cat. "Sae saved Big me, and Sae Sae saved Kira."

"My fault you needed saving."

Akira looked at her, his eyes were filled with some mixture of emotion that she could not identify, Sae wanted to look away but couldn't. Finally, he spoke, "Thank you," he said.

The words were heavy and loaded with so much meaning that she couldn't even begin to explain it, even to herself, but what she did know was Akira did not hate her for the role she had played in his capture, in fact, he seemed to be extremely fond of her. The least she could do was accept what he so freely offered, and meet his own trust and affection with her own.

"You're welcome," she said with a shy smile.

Suddenly he jumped up. 

"What's wrong?" she asked both worried and confused.

"We didn't finish the puzzle!" he exclaimed as though it was the worst crime one could commit.

She giggled, and got to her feet.

He pouted, not liking being laughed at, but the pout was gone the instant she took hold of his hand.

"Race you to the living room," she said.

Kira nodded.

"On your mark," Sae said. Kira dropped her hand and turned.

"Set," Akira said, bouncing as the energy flowed through him.

"Go!" they cried together. 

The hall was a bit too narrow so they bumped one another, laughing the whole way.

"No running in the house," Makoto and Sojiro warned at the same time.

Akira and Sae stopped, both of them gazing up sheepishly. It only took a moment though, for the two to begin a playful argument over the winner of the race, as they walked over to the puzzle.

"I won," Yusuke interrupted after a moment.

Both of them looked at Yusuke in disbelief. How could he be the winner of a race he wasn't in?

"I got here firtht," he said with a cheeky grin.

Sae and Akira traded looks at that, because it was true that, that had been the condition for being the winner. Somehow though, it still seemed unfair. 

As they gaze at one another each finds a sly grin forming on their faces. In a move that has all the unison of an all out attack, Sae and Akira throw themselves at Yusuke. Before the boy could move, he was being tickled. He tried to get away from them but, they held him in place with enough force to keep him where he was, but not enough to hurt him. It's no fun if someone gets hurt after all. 

When they finally relent, Yusuke is a giggling mess on the floor, and satisfied with their revenge, Sae and Akira return to the floor puzzle and start to fit the pieces in place.

By the Yusuke recovers from their assault, the puzzle is mostly done. There is only one piece left to fit in, and they let Yusuke be the one to place it into its spot.


	5. More Guests

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls finally get there.

Energy renewed after a short nap, Sae and the boys turn on the tv and look for some cartoons. They find one just starting, and the boys enthusiastically sing the theme song of the cartoon, all the while doing some dance moves that had them wiggling their limbs in a noodle like way. Sae tried not to giggle at them, her face is completely flushed from the effort when she finally breaks, but the boys high five like it was what they planned all along.

The next show's theme song, a calm tune with few words is just finishing when the bell sounds. 

Sae stiffens at the sound of the bell, and Yu and Kira turn their attention to her even though they both were vibrating with happiness when the show had started. Apparently, this show about cats, some kind of royal family, and, for some reason, a bat, is one they like, and the Big part of her notes this, even as the panic of her Little self floods her mind. The boys do their best to calm her down before she can let the panic consume her

The boys look over to the doorway to see who it is at the door, since Makoto went to answer it, and they freeze for a moment before smiling huge smiles.

They don't move though, no matter how much they want to because Sae needs them right now, and they don't want to leave her alone, cause that wouldn't be very nice.Thankfully, Sojiro sees their predicament, and comes over to help Sae.

The boys linger for a moment, until they are shooed away by the man, and then they are flying over to the new arrivals.

"Sissy, Ru, Taba!" Kira cries out.

"Maki, Hari, Fufu!" Yu exclaims at the same time. 

All three girls hold open arms, and hug each of the boys.

"We missed you so much," Ann says speaking for all of them.

Kira looks at the ground sadly. "Sowwy," he says.

"What do you have to be sorry for?" Futaba asked pulling him into another hug, just because she could.

"My fault Yu not be Little, Kira hurt evry'one cuz I all broken."

All of the others tried to reassure him and convince him that they didn't blame him for anything, but the words seemed to flow right past him in a meaningless wave.

"You not happy to have me?" Sae asked.

The question was the first thing to break through to him, and even with everyone looking at her, some a little more confused than others, Sae didn't back down. She did blush at the amount of attention, but her focus was on Akira.

"Kira super happy to know Sae Sae," he sounded confused and a little angry at her.

"Well if you wasn't upset, then you would not have been Little now, if you was not Little now, I wouldn't be either. You met me cause you was hurt. We all a little broken, but you still like us right?" Sae sounded a bit unsure at the end because she was. Sure he had a bond with everyone else, one day didn't mean she was part of that though.

"So a bit broken not bad?" he asked before she could dwell on her thoughts too much.

Sae nodded.

"Kira was hurt, but got meet Sae Sae, can't be dat bad if good nough have mazing friends," he whispered. Happiness flooded through him, and he threw himself at Sae.

"Sae Sae super smart, an wondaful! Kira so happy have you. Love you Sae Sae!"

"B… but it's only been one day," she couldn't help saying.

"So Sae Sae no love Kira," he said as he pulled back to look at her. The look was a unholy mixture of puppy dog eyes more sorrowful than a bloodhound's, smugness, because he was sure that she did love him, but there was also a layer of uncertainty under it all, because he had been wrong before about others feelings.

"Course I love you Kira," Sae said, because it was true. Yes it had only been one day, and not even a whole one at that, but she knew her feelings, and with a start she realized that he knew his own just as well as she knew hers.

"I love both my Little brothers and my sister," she said because it was important that they all know that.

Yu smiled and so did Makoto. Then both of them came and made it a group hug, much to Sae and Akira's amusement.

Ryuji told the new arrivals what had happened since Akira suddenly regressed, which was all they had been aware of before they got there, and when the four person hug concluded, Akira heard Futaba fondly say, "So basically Akira found another Little?"

"I said the same thing," Sojiro commented.

Sae broke away from her siblings, and went over to the others. "Is that okay?" she asked timidly. 

"The more the merrier," Futaba said, as though it was no big deal.

"I think it will be fun," Haru said already imagining how the play dates would go.

"I think it will be great but," Ann said pausing slightly, but continuing before Sae could worry too much, "the boys can be quite a handful, think you can handle them?"

"Of course I can," Sae stated, voice and body advertising her confidence.

Behind her, the boys looked perfectly angelic, but in their eyes there was just the barest hint of mischief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is a bit short and not much happens but I still like it. 
> 
> Let me know if you know the cartoon I was talking about (I will tag it in the tags if someone can guess it). It was one of my favorites and I still love it. Moreso Yusuke would definitely love it, no one can convince me otherwise, and Kira loves his Yu so he loves it too.
> 
> Really though, this update is just an excuse to wish happy holidays to everyone. So Happy Winter Holidays Everyone! If you don't celebrate anything, have a good Winter.


	6. Timeout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yusuke is sick, and Akira gets a timeout

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was written quickly and I don't even know where it came from, one second I was staring at the cursor on my Word Doc and the next I had this to edit. Don't get used to quick uploads the muse is fickle and only works when it wants to.

"I wanna go to school," Akira said loudly. It wasn’t quite a scream, but it was definitely close to one.

"I don't think so bud, you need to take it easy, don't you remember what happened the last time that you went to school before you were ready to be Big?" Not that, that was the only issue, but it was the one that stood the best chance of getting Akira to calm down.

"I'm not sick dis time!" he argued stomping his foot for emphasis. All he had to do was get Big and go, it would not be that hard.

Yusuke whined and both Akira and Sojiro turned their attention to the boy on the bed.

Akira might not be sick, but overnight Yusuke started running a fever. Originally, the plan was for Yusuke to stay at the cafe with Sojiro be he in a Big mindset or a Little one, due to the fact that he had passed out the day before, and for Akira to go to school, but an hour before Akira should have been up, Yusuke woke from a nightmare and he was burning with a fever that was likely caused by too much stress for far too long, and not enough food and relaxation. Between worrying about that, and his own emotional trauma, Akira was firmly inside his Littlespace, hence the reason he was throwing a tantrum at the moment.

"Not argue," the boy whined sadly.

“Not argue. Stupid Daddy not want me go school.” Akira growled.

"Akira, name calling, and back talking are against the rules. You’ve earned yourself five minutes of corner time."

"Don't wanna timeout," he said arms crossed, and stubbornness written in every line of his body.

Sojiro looked between the two boys, and sighed. Yusuke needed medicine and comfort right now, so he needed to make quick work of starting Akira's timeout. "Six minutes. Now you either you go sit in the corner now or I will put you there myself. If I have to do it, you will not have a choice in what snack you have, and you will not play with your stuffed toys. Make your choice," Sojiro said in a firm tone.

Akira's breath hitched, but, with exaggerated slowness, he made his way to the chair that had been put in the corner where the plant used to be.

Once he was facing the wall, he curled up as best he could in the chair and let the tears fall.

"Alright Kit, we need to take your temp again," Sojiro said gently trying to ignore how upset he was that Akira was upset. He knew he had done the right thing, and Akira's actions proved that he wasn't able to go to school today, but it was a cold comfort. Yusuke needed him now though, so he set it aside as best he could.

Sojiro frowned at the thermometer, it showed the Yusuke temperature to be up two degrees from the last time that he had taken it. Medicine, some broth, and more rest then.

It was a mark of how ill his little kit was that the boy swallowed the medicine so without any reluctance, and Sojiro hoped that the boy wouldn't get sick again, like he had earlier this morning. "Think you can drink some broth for me, Kit?"

Yusuke nodded slowly. "Not hungry," he whispered.

"You have to eat if you want to get better, Kit."

"Kay Papa."

The beeping of the timer on his phone meant that Akira's six minutes were up. The boy didn't react to the sound though, and Sojiro could tell he was crying from how badly he was shaking.

"I”ll get your brother ready, then we can have some breakfast, sound good?

Yusuke nodded again.

Sojiro walked over to Akira. "You ready to come out of the naughty chair now?"

Akira didn't react to his voice.

"I'm not mad at you buddy," Sojiro continued. "You made a bad choice and you got a timeout. You took it very well and it’s over now." Sojiro knelt as he said the last bit so that he could see Akira's face. He opened his arms in a wordless invitation, and it took three long seconds, before the offer was accepted.

Akira was openly sobbing now, and Sojiro feared that this reaction was a little too potent for a six minute timeout, but he didn't have the heart to ask about it right then, with how distressed Akira was.

When they had had the talk about what Akira wanted from him as a caregiver, they had glossed over punishment, with Akira telling him that whatever he thought was appropriate would suffice. Perhaps they should have been more thorough with that aspect of this relationship. They would certainly be having a talk when Akira was ready for one. For now though, he let him cry himself out, heart breaking at all the mangled apologies that came between the sobs.

~

  
Akira was meek and quiet as Sojiro served breakfast. He picked at it not eating much, and Sojiro didn’t comment.

Yusuke, managed about half a bowl of broth, before pushing his bowl away so he could put his head down on the table.

Sojiro helped him to the bathroom fearful that the Little would get dizzy, and hurt himself, and then back into bed. Akira followed them up the stairs silent as a ghost, and followed Sojiro back down just as quietly.

Sojiro sat in the booth and pulled Akira in after him. "Sowwy," he said, once Sojiro had him settled. He was undoubtedly in Littlespace, but wary, like he could come out of it at any moment if it was asked of him.

"It's alright little guy, can you tell me what's the matter? All this wasn't really about going to school was it?"

Akira shook his head. "Jus was real upset an I bad cause my ‘motions were too big."

"You made a bad choice kid, that doesn't mean that you're bad."

"But… was trouble, an got timeout," he argued.

"That's true you did get in trouble, but, sometimes we act bad when we're upset, it’s one of those things that just happen."

Akira didn’t look convinced, but sleepiness conquered the need to understand. "I can have nap now? I is rweally tired."

"Can I ask one more question first?"

Akira gave a tired nod.

"You cried a lot when the timeout ended, and I was worried that something was wrong."

Akira, as Little, and as tired as he was, was still observant enough that he heard the unspoken _'that I did something wrong' _that the man could not manage to hide. Not wanting his Daddy to be upset, he shook off sleep so he could say, "Felt bad for being bad, an making Yu upset, an felt happy."

Sojiro blinked in confusion. "Happy?"

"Mmmhmm, Akira hummed. "Would get in trouble cause others tell the teachers I did bad things. Dey forget me sometimes."

"_Dey forget me sometimes."_

_"Dey forget me sometimes."_

The words kept repeating. That couldn't be what he heard. There should have been no way that so many adults in this one child's life could be so neglectful.

"They forgot they put you in timeout?" Sojiro asked needing to be sure that was what he had heard. His voice far more even than he expected it to be, given the emotions that he was feeling at the moment.

"Was quiet," Akira responded as though they were speaking of something as trivial as the weather.

"It was just a few minutes right?" The plea for that to be truth was clear as day.

"When dey member or 'nother kid in trouble. My fault jus was too quiet. Nap now?" Akira finished hopefully, he was already half asleep, and no amount of fighting was stopping sleep from claiming the half that was still.

"Yeah buddy," Sojiro said as calmly as he could. Seeing as Yusuke was sick from stress rather than infection, the two of them resting together should be alright, it would also give him the much needed time to settle down, wouldn’t do to have Akira think his Daddy was mad at him. 

He tucked Akira in alongside Yusuke, and sighed. There was some comfort in knowing that they were safe where he could watch over them, but he was still angry. Angry at a world that had produced such good kids, then put them through so much pain, put them in the hands of those that harmed them, then twisted their thinking so much so that they believed that it was their own doing, and he was also angry that he had caused some of their pain, however unintentionally.

A beep brought him out of his upsetting thoughts, and he checked the message on his phone, he was surprised to see that the device indicated that he had several messages unread. The first few were from the other kids in the group, concerned that Akira hadn't shown up for school. He messaged them back that Akira had been too overwhelmed to go, and that they were welcome to visit when school let out. The last message was from Sae, and it was only four words long.

_'May I come over?'_

'Of course, when did you want to come over?'

_'This weekend, I find myself needing to relax.'_

'The boys will be excited. Will you be coming over the night before?'

_'May I?'_

_'_Wouldn't offer if I didn't mean it.'

_'I'll see you Saturday night.'_

'See you then.'

Sojiro was glad for the distraction that Sae had unknowingly offered him. he was sure that he would come back to his less than pleasant thoughts soon enough, but for right now he had a few things to plan for this weekend's play date.


	7. Deserved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kira does some, not so good, thinking, Yu, and Sojiro try to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been long enough, see you at the end.

It was about half past noon when he woke them for lunch, both boys, much to his relief they ate far more for lunch than they had eaten for breakfast. They even talked to each other as they ate, Sojiro stopped paying attention when the topic became cats turning into buses, but he couldn't help smiling. There was no way all the issues had been completely resolved, and he was certain they would come up again at some point, but for now, they were calm and happy, and he fully intended to enjoy it.

After lunch, Sojiro decided it was time to tell them the good news. "While you two were sleeping, Sae mesaged me," he said in a nonchalant tone, as though he was simply commenting on the weather.

The way they perked up was comical, it was similar to an animal becoming aware of danger, just instant intense focus directed at him. He tried to hide that he was laughing at their reactions, but the pouty faces on his boys showed that they were not fooled.

"I'm sorry," he said, "you two are just too cute."

"Not cute," the two of them said together.

Sojiro knew better than to say that they had just proved him right so he decided to tell them what Sae wanted. "She wanted me to ask if she could come over this weekend, it seems like she misses you guys already."

"Sae Sae coming see us!?" Kira asked excitedly, looking from Sojiro to Yusuke and back.

"Mmhmm, she's coming over on Saturday night."

“Come on Yu! We gotta get ready!”

“It’s only Wednesday!” Sojiro called after them as they ran up the stairs.”

“Gotta be ready!” Kira called down.

Once they were upstairs, they sorted through the toys deciding which ones would be best for the story, then they chose what sheets for the bed, and finally what they wanted to wear for day clothes, and pajamas.

It wasn’t much, but it wore Yusuke out, and Kira quickly got him settled in the bed. 

“Yu, can I ask you sometin?” Akira asked after sitting on the floor at the side of the bed.

“What the matter Kira?” Yusuke asked, quickly pushing aside the tiredness he felt, worried because of the softness of Akira’s tone, and the way he was curled in on himself.

“I was bad dis morning, do you think Daddy still is mad at me?”

“No, he forgive you. Kira did a bad thing, not mean Kira a bad boy though.”

“But he just gave me timeout, that seems like not enough.”

“Papa love you Kira, he not hurt you for feeling mad.”

“He should,” Kira whispers.

“Why?”

“Cause he didn’t want me at firs and I jus give him trouble all da time. Maybe I need not be Little no more, and den I can take care of me by myself an not be no more trouble.”

Kira covered his eyes with his hands. Now that the idea was in his head he couldn’t help imagining it. Could he really let go of being Little forever? Could he go back to the time where he hid the need from everyone including himself without going crazy from the wanting.

A dark voice he had never managed to block out completely, said that it would make them all happy. Surely no one was truly happy taking care of a brat like him. They had to be pretending because they were way too nice, and they wanted his Big self cause they had been through so much together. The right thing to do would be to set them free, good people shouldn’t feel obligated to do something as unnecessary as caring for him, and then he would just give them what they needed from him, because they deserved nothing less. He was almost an adult, and he should, and more importantly could, take care of himself. Then, when the year was over, he would leave. Sure they might miss him, Big him, but people moved on, and soon enough they would forget about him and his odd coping method. Then Yu and Sae Sae could stop pretending and everything would be back normal and happy for all of them.

“Hey, buddy what’s the matter?” Sojiro asked gently pulling Kira into a hug.

It was warm, and perfect, and everything that he wanted, and didn’t deserve, and he cried harder because of it. He was wailing now, and he knew it was annoying, but he couldn’t stop crying, and it hurt to cry, but he couldn’t stop crying, but it hurt and he wanted to stop. The emotions kept circling, and spinning. The need to stop was making it impossible to do it.

Another set of arms looped around him, and he felt even worse. Yu needed to rest so he could get better, and instead of being good, and letting Yu rest, he was getting comfort from him. 

“I’m sor- sorry,” he choked out. They deserved more than that, so much more, but right now it was all he had to give.

A hand stroked through his hair. “You don’t have to be sorry. Shhh, kid, just listen. You don’t have to be sorry for anything right now. You’ve been under so much pressure, and you have handled it so well. You were cast out of the only home that you had ever known, and then, as soon as you had found happiness, found a home here with us, it was ripped away from you. You haven’t told me much of what they did to you, but I know it was horrible, and something that nobody should be put through, especially a kid. When you got home, I could see how haunted you were, and then you were in that detention facility right after such a traumatizing event. I was so worried that there would be no light left in you after that, but there was, and when you finally fell, everyone was there to catch you. You’ll always have scars from this, but I want to help in any way I can. I love you kid, and I am so glad that I became your guardian. I am so proud of all you have done, and so grateful that even though I was dismissive of you in the past, you allow me to care for you and have such an important role in your life. You are perfect just the way you are, and you don’t need to change unless it is what you want to do.”

“Papa ith right, Kira. Kira wath hurt by many people. That kinda pain alwayth ith there, but family help a lot. I had to learn it too. That I did not make all the bad happen to me. Kira made me know I wath okay the way I wath. That other people could like me for me no matter how odd I am. I like Kira, Kira ith wonderful, and ith my friend. “

“But dis is weird, an my ‘motions are all crazy,” Akira protested.

“It might not be the most common way to relax, but given all that has happened to you it makes sense, and everyone has times where their emotions are hard to control. You don’t have to be stoic all the time, no matter what headspace you are in. You don’t have to hold back, you can scream, and cry, and nobody will be mad at you for it. When you are Little, it might get you a timeout if you say mean things or throw something, but, I will always make sure to tell you how long you will be in trouble, and I won’t ever forget that you are in timeout. Most importantly, I will always care about you even when you do something wrong.”

“Imma dummy,” Kira said, rubbing away the tears from his eyes. 

“No you are very smart, I just think you have a lot of bad ideas about what you need to be to be cared about.”

“I don’t know how to make the thoughts not come,” Kira admitted, because even as the kind words soothed him, he could still feel the dark thoughts vying for his attention.

“Neither do I, but what I do know is that your friends, and I will be there to help you. If you trust us with the thoughts, we will tell you how wrong they are, and maybe one day, the thoughts won’t be as strong.”

“Kira have a nap with me?” Yusuke asked because it was clear that Kira was overwhelmed.

“I think that is a good idea,” Sojiro agreed 

“Kay. Kira think a nap would be good now, but…" here he got onto his knees to whisper his requests.

"Of course," he said calmly. 

A few minutes later attired in garments that suited his younger than normal headspace, he climbed into bed with Yusuke.

Yusuke could clearly feel the heavy padding of the diaper under his friend's onesie, but he didn't say anything because it would be a mean thing to do and he had the feeling Kira had enough mean thoughts in his head already.

"Alright story time for my two boys," Sojiro said as he pulled out another one of those books with laminated pages.

"This one is called Logan Bear and the Friendly Fox," he showed them the cover which was a picture of Logan and Inari in an embrace.

"Once upon a time, there was a lonely fox. His family had left him on his own.

"One day, during a huge storm, he ran for the nearest shelter he could find, which was the den of a bear." The picture was split, showing a small fox running through rain, and then dripping on the floor of a cave.

"'Hello, is anyone here?' the fox called out timidly as he went deeper into the cave. There was no answer, and soon he saw why. The bear was sick. Scared though he was, he couldn't just sit by while another animal could use his help.

"With that he gathered all his courage and began to care for the sick bear…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I had most of this written a while back, but didn't update because I had no idea where it was going next, thankfully I got a bit of a game plan now so it shouldn't take nearly as long as this installment.
> 
> In other news, who's excited for P5R? I know I am, and it kinda makes me wonder if I will want to rewrite this series when I play through all the added things the Royal may offer. Getting ahead of myself though, I should probably finish this series first.


	8. Playdate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The long awaited playdate happens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys have waited long enough. See y'all at the end.

“Yusuke!” Akira called to gain the boy’s attention as he caught sight of him. It was Saturday evening, and he, and Yusuke had agreed to meet up so that they could buy a present for Sae, before going back to the cafe. 

“Did I keep you waiting long?” Yusuke asked when he was close to Akira.

Akira shook his head.

“Very well, shall we head to the store then?”

“What are we going to get?” Akira asked, as they began to walk.

“Perhaps a new stuffed toy or a coloring book?”

“Those are good ideas,” Akira agreed. “Maybe a puzzle too.”

“She does like them,” Yusuke agreed.

“Oh and I had one more idea,” Akira said in a hushed tone.

Yusuke gazed at him curiously.

“Well…”

~

“Walk,” Sojiro chided fondly as the two teens raced across the floor to get to the stairs. 

“We have to get ready,” Akira said softly.

By his voice, Sojiro could easily tell that the boy was halfway to his headspace thanks to his excitement for the playdate. Of course he wanted to have some time with his Little boys, but…

Sojiro walked from behind the counter, and went over to the teens. “Why are you acting shy,” he said ruffling Akira’s hair.

Akira didn’t meet his eyes, and Sojiro gave an inward sigh. Little Akira soaked up affection like a sponge took to water, but one small display while outside that mental space was enough to startle Akira.

Sojiro hated it, he hated how Akira felt he had to be small to receive any affection, how he froze when it was offered to him, and if he had his say, that was going to come to an end.

“Akira?”

Akira started at the sound of his name coming from the man, but after a moment, he looked up to meet his guardian’s eyes. “Yes?”

“May I hug you?”

The words on the outside were formal and stiff, but Akira could see the meaning in them. He nodded, and soon was pulled into the safe cocoon of Sojiro’s arms.

“I was doing it again, wasn’t I?” he asked in a whisper.

Sojiro pulled him in tighter, before saying, “This is always open to you no matter what.”

“Yes sir,” Akira said.

After another moment, Sojiro pulled away, and then, upon catching sight of the other teen, he opened his arms again.”Come here?”

Yusuke blinked for a moment, and then went over for the embrace.

Sojiro held the other teen, just as tightly as he had held Akira, both of these boys were deserving of nothing less than world on a platter, and since the world wasn’t paying the debt he would.

“Now go upstairs and get ready, Sae will be here soon.”

Both boys looked at one another, and once more took off at a run.

“Walk!” Sojiro called. 

~

Everything was set up, the stuffies were out, the bed made, the presents put in a pretty white bag, which Yusuke had drawn Unisis on because they couldn’t find a bag with an alicorn on it, and both boys were now dressed in pajamas, Akira had on his new bear onesie, and Yusuke had on his fox onesie, so now all they had to do was wait for Sae to get here.

“Boys, someone is here for you.”

Yu, and Kira looked at each other, and quickly went down the stairs. Sae was in the middle of the room, dressed in a pink shirt, fluffy pink pants with unicorns and rainbows, and a pair of white slippers. Unisis was in her arms, and her long silver hair was covering her face.

Kira and Yu looked at each other, and then nodded. In unison, they dropped to their hands, and knees, and crawled over to her. Sae was still standing so from their vantage point they could see her face. She was blushing, and looked seconds from crying. 

Both of them felt like crying themselves now. They both knew how hard it was to get Little sometimes, and for Sae it had to be super scary because she was in a new place, somewhere she didn’t associate with safety yet, and on top of that, she was vulnerable in this mindset.

“My Yu,” Kira whimpered.

Yu nodded. 

The little artist looked down, and then got an idea. He looked at Kira, and the other boy nodded. 

Yusuke pulled up the hood of his onesie, and began to move on all fours, circling Sae, making little yipping noises. Akira followed suit, growling like a bear. 

They circled her a few times, giggles interspersed with their animal impressions, before settling on either side of her. She placed Unisis down on the bar, and then proceeded to pet them between the ears on each of their hoods.

It was at this point that, they looked up and saw that Sojiro had filmed the whole thing.

“Daddy,” Kira whined.

“Papa,” Yusuke whined along with him.

Sae blushed, and he was truly looking forward to when she would whine along with whatever name she choose to give him.

“I couldn’t help it,” he laughed as the two boys playfully attacked him. “You all are adorable, and I want to show it to your friends. With that he sent the video to Futaba, asking her to make sure the others got a chance to see it.

Blushing a little, Kira took Yu’s hand, and Sae’s. “Let's play,” he said, pulling them to the stairs. “No Daddies allowed,” he huffed.

Sojiro laughed, he had been exiled, but the crime was definitely worth the price he had to pay, and he knew that when he finished cooking dinner they would come running and all would be forgiven.

~  
“So where is this wizard?” Unisis asked Drake.

“On the other side of this forest,” the dragon responded.

“Good, I hope he can help us,” she said sadly, thinking about her family.

Soon they had reached the cave.

“Hello?” Unisis called out.

A tiger emerged, looking her over, and then he caught sight of the dragon behind her, and growled. “Why are you here!?”

“Please, listen. Allow me to explain.”

The tiger growled again.

“Ti, that’s enough.”

“Logan he…”

“The dark magic around him is gone. There was evil in his mind, but now it is cleansed. What is it you want from me?” Logan asked.

Unisis stepped forward. “My kingdom has been cursed to eternal sleep, and each memory of us has been erased from all that has ever known us.”

“That is powerful magic indeed,” said the bear. “How is it that you have escaped such a curse?”

“I was born different, with both horn, and wings, so my magic put me into rest longer than others.”

“I see. Please follow me, I might know a way to reverse what has happened.”

The princess, and dragon followed, and were followed in turn by the tiger.

The dragon laid eyes on the fox kit, and the memories of attacking him went through his mind. It was enough to make him feel ill. He had been cursed, but hre had still done it. 

Without hesitance, he ripped a scale from his underside, and offered it to the kit. The room froze, everyone knew the significance of a heart scale. If freely given it bound the dragon to the creature, the dragon could not disobey the owner. It was the ultimate power, and rarely was given.

“Why?” Inari whispered.

“I have done you harm, there is nothing else I can offer, other than myself. Please be kinder to me than I was to you.”

“Lay down,” the kit commanded.

Drake laid down, and watched as the kit climbed his snout.  
“Don’t be mean anymore, and you can’t hurt others unless you are protecting someone you care about because they are in trouble. Oh and if Logan or Titan needs you, you have to help them if you can.”

“Anything else kit?”

“That’s all. I don’t wanna give orders and stuff, but you looked like you wanted to be punished.”

Drake laughed. “Smart kit,” he said.

Inari hopped off the dragon, and looked at Logan. “Can you help them? I heard what they told you when you all were outside.”

Logan went over to his books. “Hmmm, I thought so. To break the curse, you must find the one who has cast it, and have them reverse it.”

“She’ll never do that,” Unisis cried.

“There is another way, but it is dangerous, and requires a lot of magic,” Logan warned.

~

“Dinner is ready,” Sojiro called up the stairs.

Reluctantly, the trio put down their stuffies, and went downstairs.

“Wash your hands first,” Sojiro instructed.

They took turns washing their hands in the bathroom, before sitting down at a table, where plates had already been placed. Homemade pizza appeared before them and all three of them wasted no time making it disappear.  
“Is it good?” Sojiro asked with a chuckle.

All of them had their mouths full, so they had to nod. 

“Good,” Kira said once he had swallowed.

“The best,” Yusuke agreed before taking another bite.

“It’s good,” Sae said quietly.

“What’s wrong? You can tell me if you don’t really like it, I won’t be mad,” Sojiro told her.

Sae shook his head. “I love it, jus, I wish Makoto was here. We used to have pizza for special days, an she would like this a lot.”

“Oh honey, it’s okay, I’ll just make another one, and you can take it home to her or I can make it the next time you come by.”

“Really!?”

“I promise,” he said. “I’m going to go clean up, just call if you kids need anything.” With that, the older man went to the kitchen. Once he was out of sight he allowed his face to show the rage he felt. 

Sojiro ran a hand over his face. He had been right to hide this from them, because in their mindsets they would have thought he was upset with them, and nothing could be further from the truth.

He was mad because all of them had been abandoned, one way or another, and each had experienced how cruel the world could be, and that was true for all of the kids in their group. 

With these three, and their headspaces, it was excruciatingly painful. At root of it was how much it hurt to see them surprised by common decency. Someone should have been there for them, they should never have been hurt so much. 

He balled his fists, willing back the tears, he was going to have to face them all in a minute, and there was no way he would be able to hide this if he started crying. These kids were going to be the death of him. 

~  
“Yu, Sae Sae, Kira think we need to check on Daddy.”

Yu and Sae nodded.

None of them had missed the tension in the older man’s body as he had walked away from them.

“Did… did I do something wrong?” Sae asked.

Both boys hurried to reassure her. 

“Papa hurt thometime too,” Yusuke explained.

“We used to certain stuff, and he get sad bout it.” Kira added. “We jus have give him something be happy bout.”

“I know!” Yu said excitedly.

Akira, and Sae leaned closer to hear his idea.

“Perfect,” Akira said.

“Will that work?” Sae asked. It was simple, and didn’t seem like it would help much.

Yusuke, and Akira nodded, and then the three of them made their way into the kitchen.

They found Sojiro leaning over a countertop with a hand over his face. Silently, they pushed Sae forward. 

“U...uncle Jiro, are you okay?” she asked, voice hardly louder than a whisper.

Sojiro shot up like he had been hit. His eyes were glassy, but there was a look of surprise on his face. “I’m fine, princess,” he said.

They might have been Little, but they knew that was a lie, and more importantly, that they needed to call him on it.

“Daddy, you say lying is bad, so why you lie?”

“Papa need be honetht,” Yu told him.

“You can tell us what’s wrong. We can be Big if we have to,” Sae offered.

“No need for all that, I just... get so upset when I see how much you have all been through. I just need to-” he broke off when he saw all three of the kids fighting battles with tears.

“This was what I was trying to avoid; I don’t like making you cry.”

“How can we not cry?” Yusuke asked. “You care so much about us that you get upset over how unkind people have been to us in the past.”

“Yusuke’s right. Having you doesn’t make all that hurt disappear, but it makes it mean less. Who cares about those coldhearted people when someone like you is right here?”

“I haven’t been part of all this for very long, but I can see how capable you are as a caregiver, and I look forward to more of it, if you’re willing to put up with me.”

Sojiro covered his face again. How did it come to them being the ones to comfort him? There was no stopping the tears now.

“I think we broke him,” Akira said fondly.

“I concur,” Yusuke agreed just as fondly.

“We should help,” Sae told them.

That was all the warning he had before they were clustered around him in a group hug.

“Today was supposed to be about you three,” he complained.

“If you are hurting we have to help, and if we have to be Big to help then that’s okay,” Akira told him.

“You’re killing me kid,” Sojiro groaned.

“You’re welcome,” Akira said.

That cheeky brat!

Sliding out of the hug, Sojiro ruffled the boy’s hair, and then proceeded to tickle him into submission. 

“Where's all that sass from before?” 

Akira was too busy laughing, and trying to escape to answer.

Yusuke tried to save him only to also end up in Sojiro's clutches.

Unfortunately, Sojiro had miscalculated, and Sae tackled him.

He staggered to the table only to find himself accosted by the boys as well. 

“Okay, okay, I surrender,” he laughed.

“Sakura-san?” Yusuke said once they were settled at one of the tables.

“Yeah kid?”

“I don't wish to sound presumptuous, and I really have limited experience with… family, but from what I have learned, we can depend on each other. So if something is bothering you, you can talk to us about it.”

“I know that, I guess I just want to trouble you three, but I ended up doing that anyway huh?”

“We were more upset that you tried to hide it from us,” Sae told him.

“Alright, alright,” he said with his hands up in surrender, “I'll try not to let things get to me like this.”

“That's not what we want. You care too much to not be affected, we just want to be there to help.”

“Okay, I will try to be more open, but I would like the same from you all. When you are Little your emotions are at the forefront, but like this, you boys tend to hide away, and I expect something similar might be true of Sae as well. 

They agree easily, knowing that emotional honesty, while not easy for any of them, would be the most beneficial.

“Well then, I think it’s time for bed.” Foreseeing the complaints that seemed on the tips of their tongues. “You are all tired, and I know for a fact that you all have quite the day planned for tomorrow.”

The boys smiled sheepishly.

“I haven’t had anyone send me to bed in a long time,” Sae remarked.

“Well it won’t be the last time,” Sojiro assured her. 

“Story?” Kira asked.

“Of course. Why don’t you three go get comfortable, while I clean up.”

Twenty minutes later, Sae was snuggled up on the bed, and Yusuke, and Akira were cuddled up on a pile of blankets and pillows on the floor.

“This one is called Logan Bear and the nightmare. Are you all ready?”

When they nod, he starts on the book. “Logan Bear was in his cave asleep when the rain started. Thunder and lightning crash loudly outside, and Logan’s dream went bad. He was being chased…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't expect this chapter to turn out like this, but I think it went fairly well so overall I'm pleased, even if it was lighter on the fluff than I wanted.


	9. Nightmares Shared

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nightmares, angst, fluff and stuff

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long wait; long chapter
> 
> See you at the end

“Kira.”

“Kira.”

“Yu I’m tryna sleep,” Kira groaned. He was sleepy and Little, and just wanted to sleep til it was time to eat breakfast. Daddy always made breakfast when Kira felt Little, well even when he was Big, Daddy seemed to want to take care of him, which was weird, but it did make Kira happy.

“I know, but need help, Kira. ”

Akira couldn’t ignore that. Yusuke rarely asked for help, Big or Little, if he was in so much need that he had woken him to ask for it, then it had to be for a good reason. So Kira rolled over, and looked at his brother.

“I heard a thound,” he pointed toward the stairs. “I good at hearing.”

Akira was instantly more awake. Yusuke really was good at hearing more than others did, and Akira highly suspected that was a... leftover from Maderame as well. It looked like fear of whatever had pushed him firmly into his Littlespace.

“I’ll go check it out,” Akira said softly. “Stay here.”

Yu shook his head. “I go too.”

Little, but determined.

Akira knew he would not be left behind, it would be scary for him though if there was something dangerous down there, but if it came to a fight, his friend would help no matter the headspace. “Stay behind me,” Akira whispered.

Yu nodded, and together the two of them started down the stairs.

When they were at the bottom, Akira looked around the corner, only for his blood to freeze in his veins. Yellow eyes stared at him from the darkness, the shape of the body was unmistakable.

“You can’t be-” Akira whispered, it wasn’t possible, it couldn’t be possible.

The man laughed, and moved closer. “Seems like fate keeps bringing us together, it’s as though the universe itself seems to want to be rid of you, and has elected me to be the one in control of your fate. Now I will do what I should have done when we first met, and this time nobody is here to save you,” the man teased.

Akira glanced back, only to find Yusuke was gone.

When he looked forward again, the yellow-eyed monster was right in front of him, smiling a sadistic grin. His expression became a parody of concern as he spoke again “You’ve been abandoned by everyone once again, what a shame.”

Akira couldn’t breathe.

“Kill him,” the monster said.

A figure stepped out of the shadows, gun aimed at him. He had no words, they were all stolen by fear.

“Goodbye Joker, I guess I will see you in hell.” All Akira could do was watch as the bullet flew towards him to the soundtrack of eerie laughter.

~

“Kira wake up!”

Akira jolted awake, sitting up so quickly it made him dizzy. He was breathing like he had run for hours with no break. He looked around wildly like a frightened animal cataloging everything within his sight until his eyes latched on to Yusuke, and the worried look he could see despite how dark the room was.

Then his body, shaky from the fright, seemed to move without permission, latching on to the other boy with a hold so tight it had to be painful.

Yusuke didn’t seem to mind though, since the other boy just held him without making any attempt to push him off.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t, I know it was just a nightmare, and I’m not Little, but-”

“It’s alright Akira. It’s okay for you to have emotions, no matter if you are Big or Little.”

Movement from the bed caught his eye, and Akira felt himself blush. “Sorry for waking you up,” he apologized quietly.

“No,” Sae said gently as she got off the bed to sit beside the two of them. “You don’t have to be sorry. You have more than enough reason to have nightmares, and I would like to help if I can.” Sae moved closer, hesitantly moving her hand on Akira’s back, and rubbing circles there. “I sometimes dream about how… how badly it could have turned out if I didn’t force my way in to hear your confession, if I didn’t believe you, if you hadn’t remembered to tell me about the phone, if any of the numerous things had changed, you would have… The way they hurt you, I still see it sometimes.”

“I’m sorry you had to see that,” Akira told her, he hadn’t thought about how she had been affected by all of this.

“I didn’t tell you to get an apology, and that is nothing for you to apologize for in the first place, I just wanted you to know that every one of us emerged with some kind of scar from this experience. You will never be alone in this.”

“Stay?” Akira asked.

“Hmmm?”

“Cuddle with us? I think having you both here will help a lot. That is if it won’t be too weird for you.”

Sae didn’t answer with words, but she laid down. And Yusuke followed suit, soon, Akira was sandwiched warmly between the two of them.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

~

Sojiro woke up the next morning at around nine, and headed over to the cafe. He had decided to make waffles for the kids. When Sojiro arrived at the cafe, he went upstairs only to find one of the most adorable scenes of his life.

Sometime during the night, Sae had joined the boys on the floor. She was on her side, facing Akira who was in the middle. Her hair, which had been braided before bed, had come slightly apart, making her look rather young, her pajamas, half visible since the blanket was only partially covering her legs, also helped with that.

In the middle, Akira was on his back. One hand was in Sae grip, and the other in Yusuke’s. His face bore a smile that screamed 'good dreams' and his hair was wild, like a small localized tornado had whipped through it.

Yusuke was in a similar position to Sae, except his long form was curled up, completely hidden under the blanket.

Several pictures later, he decided that it was time to wake them up. He was sure there were plenty of things they had planned for the day, that didn’t involve sleeping until noon, and they really needed to get the day started since he had something planned as well.

He walked over to Yusuke, knowing that he was easy to wake. He adamantly pushed his suspicions for why that was to the side. This was a day to be happy, and he was not going to let it end up in the same place as last night, although, perhaps he was overdue a conversation with the blue-haired teen. 

They had spoken about what he wanted from a caregiver, once they had both realized that the relationship was going to be a lasting one, and that had led to Sojiro becoming his emergency contact, but what they hadn’t discussed was the trauma that Yusuke had endured at the hands of his old teacher. Some things were obvious, but others, Sojiro only could speculate on, and he if had learned anything over the past few days, it was better to be aware of possible problems than to be blindsided by yet another injustice heaped upon his kids by the selfish adults that they had been in the care of.

He shook his head, that was all for a later date, right now he would focus on feeding his kids, and giving them a day so full of fun that they would be smiling non-stop.

“Yusuke, wake up buddy,” he said softly, while shaking the boy slightly.

Yusuke made a wordless sleepy sound, as he blinked up at Sojiro.

“Papa?”

Sojiro adopted the open smile that instictively came to the fore when he was called with one of his caregiver titles.

“Want to help me wake the others? It’s time for breakfast.”

Yusuke nodded, and woke Akira, while Sojiro moved to wake Sae.

Sae woke easily enough, she was clearly in a more adult mindset, until she gaze over to see Akira trying to snuggle closer to Yusuke so that he wouldn’t have to wake up yet.

Unable to help herself she giggled. “So cute.”

Akira turned a sleepy glare on her.

Sae giggled again, before getting up and ‘hiding’ behind Sojiro.

“Uncle Jiro save me from the angry kitten!” she said and then she stilled and her eyes widened. Sojoro, was familiar with this type of reaction having seen it in both boys to an extent, and knew she was scared of how he would react to her playfulness.

Well he needed to nip that fear of rejection in the bud as soon as possible. “Don’t worry, princess, I’ll protect you. In fact, let’s just leave the angry little kitten here, and go make breakfast.”

Yusuke perked up at the mention of food, which, though adorable, still upset Sojiro since it meant that the boy was still underfed despite his efforts. Well extra waffles for him then.

“No bweakfast for Kira?” Akira whined. He had untangled himself from Yusuke, and was now sitting in the middle of their nest, with his arms folded across his chest, and his lip poking out, looking for all the world like the grumpy toddler he mentally was.

Sojiro was pleased to note there was no actual fear in the statement, it was a small victory, knowing that Akira was secure enough in his knowledge that Sojiro would never punish him by withholding food that he could allow his childish impulses free reign.

“You can’t eat and stay asleep,” Sojiro told him.

Akira seemed to be trting to find a way that allowed him to have both of the things that he was trying to get, but found that Sojiro was right. With clear reluctance he got up, pout still in place as he made his way down the stairs, and sulkily slid into a booth.

Sojiro smiled through the display, and went into the kitchen to start cooking breakfast. By the time that the food was ready, someone, his money was on Sae, had conviced the boys to get their hands washed, and had started a word association game to keep busy while they waited for the food to cook.

“Bacon,” Sae said, and Sojiro briefly wondered what had been the previous word.

“Bweakfast,” Akira said.

“Home,” Yusuke said.

“Alone.”

“Danger.”

“People.”

Okay, the game was getting far too unhappy so it was a good time to intervene. “Breakfast is served,” Sojiro said brightly placing a plate of waffles in the center of the table. He got three more plates, setting one in front of each of them. Next he added some syrup to the table along with the utensils, and then went back in the kitchen to retrive a skillet of eggs.

“So,” he started once they had eaten a good amount, “why did Sae end up in the nest with you boys?”

“Had a nightmare,” Akira admitted. “It was real scarwy, but Yusuke, and Sae helped me feel better so I could go back asleep.”

‘Well that explained why he had woken up a bit grumpy too. Best not to dwell on it though.’ “I had a bit of a bad dream myself, last night,” Sojiro said as he began to clear away the used dishes.

“Daddy has bad dreams too?”

“Everybody has a bad dreams now and then.”

“What Papa dream bout? Ith kay if you not want to talk bout it, but it can help not make the bad dream ath bad if you talk bout it.”

Well he hadn’t intended to practice the emotional honesty that they had promised each other quite this soon, but it was a good chance to show that he fully intended to honor the promise. “Well, it started off normally, I was serving some of the regulars, Akira wasn’t home yet, and it was getting late, so I was about to call him to offer a ride, when he walked into the shop. What’s with that look princess?”

“Nothing.”

“Princess.”

“I just used to dream about work a lot. I was super worried about my job, and nothing else.”

“Princess, you’ve come a long way since then, and I dream about the shop a lot because I like it. This place has been my safe haven for a long time. I once had a dream where the shop was literally alive, and started running itself.”

“What happen when dream me walked in?” Kira asked softly bringing the focus back to Sojiro’s dream.

“Well… you came home, and kind of ignored me which was odd. The cat was gone too, and when I asked you about him, you just seemed confused. Then I caught sight of the calendar. It was April, and then I realized that you weren’t talking to me because you didn’t know me yet.”

Akira turned back to the small amount of food remaining on his plate, but it was clear that his mind was elsewhere.

“Alright, I was honest with you buddy, didn’t you promise the same?”

“I jus wonder if things mighta been better if I didn’t come here. Dats all.”

There was a quiet pause of less than a second before three firm voices said, “No,” in unison.

Everyone seemed surpised, but the shock was quickly shaken.

“Without you I would not be here,” Sae said. “I would be alone, and working, and hiding from myself, and my sister. I would be hurting my Makoto, and making her sad because I never ever listened to her. You saved me and her, so no it would not be better without you here.”

“Well said princess. It’s the same for me. If it weren’t for you, Futaba would never had come out of her room, and she would have been taken away from me. I wouldn’t have any of my kids, and I don’t even want to imagine what I would have been like if that had happened.”

“I... “ Yusuke choked on the word, but forced himself to speak before anyone could make a move to tell him that he didn’t need to say anything. “I would be lone, an still there, and dead. My art was fading, I was fading, Kira, I couldn’t make anything, he would have threw me away. I would have gave up Kira. Tho never again think that it better if you not here! You gave me thomewhere to belong.”

“Yu, I is… I’m sorry.”

“Come here buddy,” Sojiro said.

Yusuke got up so that Akira could come to over to him.

“You know that you have made a difference in the lives of all of your friends, and that without you, we would all be in places we don’t care to think about. You are valued and loved, and though you sometimes forget it, you always know it. So level with me kid, what made you feel like were a burden for any of us. Was it your dream last night or was it something else?”

“Nightmare,” he corrected.

“Hey stop that, you know that’s not good for your fingers bud.”

Akira blinked up at him.

Sojiro could see that this was not going to be easy. Instead of aging up, it seemed he was falling deeper into his headspace, it was clear that he needed to share the content of his nightmare to stop the spiral, but equally clear that he wasn’t going to be able to voice it. With that he turned to Yusuke. “Kit can you get your brother a paci or his tags please?”

Yusuke nodded, and hurried up the stairs.

“Princess, can you get the paper and crayons from behind the counter please?”

Sae was still gathering the requested materials when Yusuke came back down at a speed just short of a run.

“Next time a bit slower okay,” he said with a fond grin taking the black cat paci from him, just as Sae put the materials on another table.

Sojiro gently nudged the teat of the paci at Akira’s mouth until the boy opened up and allowed him to insert it. “There, now how about you draw what you dreamed about? That way you don’t have to say anything, and then maybe your siblings and I can find a way to help.

Kira thought about that. He really did want to feel better, and Daddy was awesome at fighting away all the scary things. Yu and Sae Sae would help too, and then he would be okay again. Kira nodded, and walked over to the table. He picked up a black crayon, and started to color. Somehow it wasn’t as scary when it was in crayon.

Half an hour later, he was done. He gazed behind them to find that the others had started a puzzle. It was half done, and none of them seemed to enthusiastic about it. He frowned, Yu and Sae Sae liked puzzles a lot. They maybe were too worried about him to enjoy it then?

He walked over papers in hand.

“Can we go upstairs?” Sae asked. “Kira should have cuddles while we talk.”

“Excellent idea, princess.”

With that they relocated upstairs to the nest on the floor. Akira still held his papers in his hands, and was seated between Sojiro’s legs, his back pressed to the man chest Sae and Yusuke were seated on either side of the pair, and patiently waited for Akira to show the pictures he had drawn.

The first picture was clearly of their current location. The nest was a messy square of blue and green. Stick figures lay in the square, one with blue hair meant to be Yusuke, and the other with black hair meant to be Akira. On the back was the same scene, but the Yusuke was waking up Akira.

The next picture was the two figures on the stairs, Akira in the lead. On the back was a picture with scribbled black marks, with yellow eyes in the middle.

The next page had the three figures on it, there was the two boys and then and someone else. The following page showed Yusuke gone, and the other figure laughing, while Akira was crying.

The last page of art was the most jarring though. Another figure had come and he had blue stripes on his face, and a gun. The splash of yellow around one end, showed that it had been fired, and the red on either side of stick figure Akira's head along with a black oval showed where the path had taken the bullet. On the back of that was Akira, and a mess of red scribbles.

Akira put the papers down, and tried to make himself small as possible. Even with the art on the level of a toddler, the imagery was still powerful, and scary.

The room seemed like a photograph, a snapshot of immobile reality, and then Yusuke moved. When he returned he was lugging Akira’s toy chest. He dug through it, pulling out El, Ari, Logan, and Hope, the owl plushie.

The last item he went to retrieve was the tags that he placed around Akira neck, then he sat down in front of his brother. “Kira,” he said softly, and then he waited for the other boy to meet his eyes.

“Not alone, he not hurt you, you have everyone now.”

“Can you explain his nightmare more?” Sae asked.

Yusuke looked at Akira, and when he received a nod he picked up the paper with the laughing figure, the one with the gun, and Akira. He pointed at the laughing one. “Liar, ruined Kira life.”

“Shido?” Sojiro growled. Yusuke nodded.

He pointed at the one with a gun. “Traitor.”

“Kid, you can’t get a break can you?”

“You know,” Sae said, “Unisis had a nightmare too, when she was in the cave with Logan and the others.”

Akira looked at her, eyes bright with interest.

~

  
Unisis breathed in quick gasps as she surveyed her surroundings.

“Are you okay?” Inari asked.

“I am,” she answered automatically.

The kit seemed to see through her though. “Come with me,” Inari whispered. He led Unisis, past Logan, Ti, and Drake.

There was another room down a tunnel. “This is my space,” the fox told her, "Logan made it for me.”

“Why did you bring me here?”

“You need to talk, and I want to listen.”

“But you're just a kit.” she protested.

“Yes, but I know what it is to be alone. My parents abandoned me, and I was alone before Logan and Ti let me stay with them.”

Unisis sighed. “I dreamed of home. I had the cure, but it had taken so long to make that everyone was gone by the time I got there. The only trace left was a note that said it was all my fault.”

Inari hugged her. “We won’t let you fail.”

“How can you be so sure of that?”

“We won’t give up, and you won’t either, and between all of us we can beat anything.”

“Why are you helping me. You barely know me.”

“I don’t like to see bad things happen to people. I know how it feels, and I don’t like the idea of others having to feel that way.”

“Perhaps I should not have come here. Involving you all in my fight is going to cause nothing but pain.”

“You’re wrong. I was already involved once I met Drake and if he hadn’t attacked, Logan would not have saved me, and I wouldn’t be living here now. I would be alone and scared, and not happy.”

“I guess that is one way to see it,” Unisis said still unconvinced.

“What about you? Where would you be if you didn’t come here”

Unisis looked at the ground. “Nowhere, coming here was the only option that I had.”

“I think it worked out for the best then. I got a family, and you have a chance to save all of yours. Isn’t that what matters?”

“You’re rather wise for a kit,” she said.

“You grow up quick when you have to be alone,” he said sadly. “We should go back to sleep. We have to get up early to hunt the weird flower thing Logan told us about.”

  
~

  
A sharp noise interrupted the story, and Sojiro answered his phone after shooting apologetic glances to the kids. “Yes? Can I text you in a bit? I have to ask them. Okay. Thanks.”

“I need to ask you all something,” he said once he was off the phone.

They all looked at him. Suddenly, he was rather nervous, but he had been planning this for a long time, and he was reluctant to let the opportunity pass without at least offering it to them even with the current emotional climate.

“You see, I know someone that owns a place, and thought you three might like to go there,” he said quickly. He sighed, “You are confined indoors when you are Little, and I understand why, but I thought you all might like to go out today.”

“Safe?” Akira asked, his voice was muted but he seemed truly interested in the idea of having a trip.

“Of course, I wouldn’t have brought it up if there was a chance that it would be unsafe for you all in any way.”

“Yu? Sae Sae?”

“If Papa think it good I want go.”

“Kay… but we come back if we need to?”

“Of course princess. This is meant to be fun, and if any of you get scared, we’ll come back here, watch some cartoons, yes Kit, that will include an episode or two of Sagwa, and have some ice cream.”

“And if we like it there?”

“We still come back, watch cartoons, and have ice cream before anyone has to go home.”

Sojiro gazed at the three of them, allowing time for any second thoughts. “Well then, we better get you all dressed so we can get going.” 

Once they began to gather their clothing for the day, Sojiro sent a message to his friend. He truly hoped everything worked out the way he planned, because all of them deserved a a chance to simply have fun together without feeling the weight of world on their shoulders. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://littlefanficaddict93.tumblr.com
> 
> if you want to see the mock ups for the pictures Akira drew. 
> 
> *I altered the link. It should work if you copy and paste it into the browser. It does not work if you use the web search function for some reason. 
> 
> I still think this is a bit messy as far as the pacing goes, because you can still see where the planned meets the unplanned bits, and I wanted to divide it up, but one part would have been super long and the other would have been mighty short. 
> 
> Finally I just cleaned it up a bit more, and decided to upload because it has been so long and I miss this story gosh darn it.
> 
> Thanks for reading this mess, and please comment to let me know what you think.


	10. Fun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fun day out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm alive!

“Are we going to a movie?”

“Not even close, Kit,” Sojiro said. “I really don’t think that either of you will guess where we’re going.”

“Now they’re never going to stop guessing Uncle Jiro,” Sae complained.

To be fair, her complaint was well deserved because the boys had been guessing since the moment that he told all of them to make sure to wear comfortable clothes.

“Okay let’s play the character game,” Sojiro suggested.

“Character game?” Sae asked.

“Who wants to explain the game?” Sojiro asked.

“Kira can,” Yusuke said.

Akira smiled him. “You has to think of someone dat we all know so dat it be fair. If you guess da person den you win an it your turn.”

“That sounds fun,” Sae said.

“He forgot a few rules.”

“Nuh-uh I not forger. I jus wanted let Yu tell her da rest.”

Yusuke giggled. “The one that think the name get to make the order. Like if it my turn, I would let it go Kira, Papa, then…”

“Yu?”

“I not no what call her. Her name not right if I try it.”

“Hmm Sae Sae need nickname den.”

“I not know what to call her.”

“I know!”

With that, Akira leaned over and whispered something to Yusuke.

“Good idea Kira.”

All was quiet for a bit, and just as Sae was going to speak, Yusuke spoke up. “Vee,” he said.

Sae turned as best she could to see the blue-haired boy. “Why Vee?”

“Kira thought it be a good idea to nickname after a character that remind me of you. Vitani remind me of you tho Vee.”

“Vitani?” She asked.

Yusuke, and Akira looked at her like she was crazy.

“Sae Sae no see Lion King 2?” Akira asked as though it was the most unbelievable thing he had ever heard.

Sae shook her head, and tried to hide her smile. Her brother could be so weird sometimes.

“Papa, we watch that when we get back,” Yusuke said firmly.

Sojiro laughed. “Of course Kit.”

Yusuke gave a satisfied nod. “After making the order, we all athk in the order til you think you know who it ith.

“Might be easier to understand if we play an easy round.” Sojiro mused. “I’ll start. Hmm… the order will be Akira, Sae, and then Yusuke.”

“Boy or girl?” Akira asked.

“Boy.”

“Real or made up?” Yusuke asked.

“Made up.”

“Animal or person?” Sae asked.

“Animal.”

“He a main character?”

“No.”

“Do he fly?”

“Yes.”

“Is it Zazu from the Lion King?”

“Well done princess, it’s your turn now.”

~

As they walked to the building he could feel how close they were to him. If he wasn’t filled with excitement for their reactions, he would have been overwhelmed by the mingling of curiosity and nervousness around them. Soon enough he reached the door, and opened it, letting the three of them in before going inside himself.

Sojiro knocked on the inner door, and it was opened, letting out a burst of cool air. The door opened to a reception area, with a large desk, and a few chairs. To the left of the desk was an unlit hallway. The man that had opened the door was tall, dressed casually, and was wearing a smile.

“You have the place for two hours, the surprise is here, just make sure to set the security and lock up when you leave,” the man said, handing Sojiro a keycard.

“Thanks,” Sojiro said. “I really appreciate this.”

“Anything for a friend,” the man said with a chipper grin.

“Shoji,” Sojiro sighed, wondering what the man was going to demand of him. He’d known the guy long enough to know that expression was the least innocent thing in the world. He’d probably ask for something convoluted just to irritate him.

“Don’t worry, this one is free,” Shoji said, clapping his hand on Sojiro’s shoulder, and glancing behind him. “See ya,” and with that he was leaving out the door.

Sojiro locked it behind him, and turned to face Akira, Yusuke, and Sae. They looked curious, and just a bit scared.

“I think he knew,” Sae whispered.

Sojiro smiled at them, “ It seems so. I’m sorry for not warning you all. but he won’t say anything, I promise.”

They seemed torn between trusting his judgement, and asking how he was so sure, so he took pity on them. “When I asked about this place he connected the dots because of his own lifestyle. He was surprised that I had fallen into the role of a caregiver. The bastard had the nerve to laugh for ages, like it was the funniest thing he had ever heard.”

“Daddy, it’s mean to call friends mean names,” Kira scolded him.

“Sorry, kid, you’re right. Anyway, let’s head to the back.”

Together they walked down the dark hall. It was shorter than they had thought it would be. Sojiro whistled, and suddenly the place was flooded with light.

“SURPRISE!” Six voices rang out in unison.

All three Littles stood frozen. The room was big, filled with things to play on. There were slides, trampolines, monkey bars, gymnastic rings, tumble mats, and so much more, and best of all everyone was here to play and enjoy.

After a quick trio of hugs for Sojiro, they were off like a shot, smiling at the others, and running around eager to play on everything all at once. How long had it been since any of these kids had simply played? It was a depressing thought, and he shook it away, this was a happy moment, and melancholy had no place in it.

“Mrow?”

I’m fine,” Sojiro said, before realizing that he was responding to a cat. He picked up Morgana, so they were on the same eye level.

“I still feel crazy talking to a cat, even if I know you can understand me.”

The cat had the nerve to roll his eyes.

Sojiro, huffed a laugh. “Anyway, I never thanked you for helping them. They said they never would have been able to do what they did without you.”

Morgana placed a paw on his chest.

“You’re saying I helped out too?”

“Meow.”

“Thanks, I can’t help worrying I don’t do enough though.”

Mogana hissed, and Sojiro winced as claws met his skin. It was a threat that didn’t need words.

Morgana pointed at the group. Happy, they were all so happy.

“Okay, you win.”

“Mrow!”

Smug cat.

“Daddy, Gana, come play!” Kira exclaimed. The boy was standing in front of them. His eyes were bright, a smile dominated his face, and he was vibrating with energy.

One day Sojiro would learn to say no to that earnest expression, but today was not that day. “Alright, alright,” he relented.

“Yay!” Kira exclaimed as he grabbed on of Sojiro’s hands, and pulled.

“Meow.”

“I’m not a pushover.” He looked down at Akira. Yeah, he was a pushover when it came to his kids, didn’t mean he had to admit it though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No idea when the next bit will be, I got a good idea though so hopefully less time between this one and that one.


	11. Running Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akira tries to pull away from the others

Akira woke disoriented. He couldn’t remember what had happened or where he was. He opened his eyes, and sighed. He was safe in his room. It was night time, and he was tired. The combination of the two was almost enough to lull him back to sleep, but then he noticed that he wasn’t alone. 

“Sojiro,” he said.

The man snapped awake. “Way to give me a heart attack.” 

“Why are you here?”

“You don’t remember? Well you were a bit out of it…”

“What happened?”

“You came home from school looking very pale, told me that Morgana was staying with one of the others for the night, and then you went upstairs. I thought it best to wait for you to call for me, you seemed like you needed some space to calm down, and as I was closing up the shop, I heard you scream. You were nearly catonic, so I stayed, and you drifted back to sleep.”

Akira didn’t remember any of that, except being at school, and someone said… someone had said something, it was bad, whatever it had been, and he’d gone to class and he had lost it, his temper had flared when someone had made another far less derogatory statement, and the rage blended with fear, causing him to lash out. Ann had stopped him from doing anything serious, but the damage was done, and everyone was looking at him like they had at the beginning of the school year, like he was violent and untrustworthy. He did the only thing he could, and ran away.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, I’m just glad you’re a bit better now.” 

Sojiro rose from the chair, he blinked in surprise as he swayed on his feet.  
Akira could tell what was going to happen if he didn’t intervene. He reached out a hand, and grabbed Sojiro’s arm, and gave a sharp tug causing the man to stumble and fall into the bed. 

“What are you-” his voice halted when a hand landed on his forehead.

“You should be at home resting,” the boy scolded him.

“I-” Sojiro started to say that he was fine, but they had promised not to lie to each other like that anymore. “It’s just a cold,” he said.

“It can get worse if you don’t take care of yourself.”

“I know,” Sojiro said, “I couldn't just leave you alone though, I never would have forgiven myself, and if a bad cold is the result, it’s a price I will willingly pay.”

Akira swallowed. That was not Sojiro’s job, he shouldn’t have to sacrifice his health, not for something this insignificant. “There is still some medicine left from when I was sick, you are going to take some, and rest.”

Sojiro looked ready to put up a fight at being ordered around, but when he looked at Akira all he saw was guilt, and fear in his expression, and he had to give in. “Alright,” he agreed.

Akira got up, and got the medicine, and measured out a dose. Sojiro drank it, and sighed, he really did feel worn out, a nap in a bed didn’t seem too bad an idea at all.

When he opened his eyes, light was coming up, showing that he had slept longer than he had meant to. He still felt awful, but he thought he had enough energy to get home. That thought in mind, he tried to get out of the bed, but was held back by Akira. 

“I should get home, and you have to get ready for school soon.”

Akira nodded. “I’ll help you get there.”

Sojiro didn’t bother to argue, he was tired, and he would lose the argument anyway given Akira’s determination, so there was no reason to waste the energy. It took entirely too long to traverse the short distance, and by the time he was in bed he had thoroughly exhausted.

~  
Akira watched his guardian rest, and could no longer deny the truth. It had been creeping up on him for a long time now, and because he was selfish, he had ignored it, but now he would do the right thing, it would be hard, and undoubtedly painful, but he would do it. Sojiro needed rest, not just to get over the cold. The man was working hard, and putting endless energy into making him happy, and it needed to stop before Sojiro completely burnt out.

By the time he returned to the cafe, having left Sojiro to Futaba, so that he could get ready for school, his resolve had cemented within him. There was very little time before the end of the school year, and his subsequent return to his hometown, until then, he could wait. Until then he could be strong. Until then, he could be...self-sufficient. 

It was a tightrope, finding the balance that he needed to avoid suspicion, and still act as though nothing was wrong. He scheduled work days under the guise of needing money, and canceled playdays on the excuse of being too tired from working.

He was doing a good job of it too over the past week, sure they seemed a bit worried about him, but that would fade with time, and soon enough he wouldn’t be their problem anymore. After all, he just had to last two more weeks in his self-imposed isolation, because in two more weeks he would be free to fall apart with none of them around to see it. He just had to make it until then, and he was more than strong enough for that.

One afternoon, after school had let out, he got a call. He checked the id, and was surprised to see that Chihaya was calling.

“Come to the stand,” she instructed without preamble, before hanging up.

Akira blinked. Well, he had no choice then. 

~  
Ann and Ryuji watched as Akira made his way past the school gate, and down the path to the station, once he was out of sight, they made their way out of the school.

“He’s so not okay,” Ryuji said he once was seated on the couch. The whole group, minus Akira, and Morgana were gathered at Makoto’s place. Sojiro and Sae were also in attendance due to their own worry.

“Yeah, he thinks he is fooling us, but it’s super easy to tell that he isn’t sleeping enough, and that he doesn’t really need the money he is earning bad enough to work himself so hard,” Ann added.

“Whatever we do, we have to do it fast. The end of the school year is coming up, and Akira is going to go back to his hometown next week if we don’t find a way to get through to him,” Futaba said.

“Well first we need to figure out what prompted him to pull away from us,” Makoto supplied. “Any ideas what the catalyst was?”

There were a few nods around the room.

There was that day at school where one of our classmates accused him of…”

All of their eyes were on Ann. She wasn’t surprised that they hadn’t heard considering where the conversation had taken place, she only knew because she had been walking by and overheard, which unfortunately had also been the case for Akira, although she hadn’t realized that until his outburst in the classroom. It made her feel sick having to be the one to tell them what happened though. “He said that he had heard Akira had assaulted someone… sexually,” she finished with a whisper. “And someone replied that… Stockholme’s syndrome would explain how he had made so many friends even though he was such a violent criminal.” 

“Those effing bastards,” Ryuji growled. 

Everyone agreed with the sentiment.

“It probably didn’t help that I got sick right after that,” Sojiro added. “The kid probably blames himself for that too.”

“Futaba said that Akira was going back home. I don’t believe that he would want to go back after everything, but surely he thinks he had to.” Sae said.

“He always thinks he has to handle things like this alone,” Haru said in a whisper. 

A choked sob brought their attention to the only person in the room that hadn’t spoken a word. Yusuke stood there, trembling, unable to look at any of them. 

“Kit?” Sojiro asked as he walked over to where the blue-haired boy was standing.

“Kira pulling away again. He think no one want him.”

“Why do you say that buddy?”

“Kira dumb with positive emotion. Have tell him we want him or he not know,” Yusuke finished grabbing onto Sojiro. Instantly the man wrapped the boy in a hug.

“I get it,” Makoto said. “We haven’t explicitly told him that we want him to stay, and with the incident at school, he probably thinks that he brings us nothing but trouble by staying.”

“I love the guy,” Ryuji said, “but our leader is an idiot.”

“Be that as it may, none of us want him to go, especially feeling the way he is, so that being said, how are we going to correct the erroneous conclusions that he has internalized?” Sae asked.

“Well we can start by letting him know that he is welcome to stay,” Sojiro said, and with that they begin to construct a plan that would leave Akira with no doubt about how they felt about him.

~

When Akira approached the stand, Chihaya was there waiting for him. Her expression was a mixture of anger, and fear, and she dealt three cards with no preamble.

Akira had always been represented by the fool in her deck. He knew the old story of the fool on the journey to obtain the world, so it seemed rather fitting. 

“You have obtained the world, but over the past week,” she flips the card. It is the fool just as he expects but the card is in reverse. The next card is death, and the final one is the world. “You have turned away from your world, and if you remain on your path, death shall come to it and to you.”

Akira swallowed, everything that he had been able to put out of his mind rushed in at that moment. He knew his friends cared for him, he did, he truly did, but he couldn’t change his course now, he had to set them free of the obligation that bound them to him.

“Kurusu-san,” Chihaya’s soft whisper broke through his thoughts, and he looked at her. “You have changed the fate of so many just by being here, please, I beg you, just make it happen once more, one more miracle.”

“I have to go,” he says in a rush.

“Please.”

Her quiet plea follows him as he flees.

He travels on autopilot, and he doesn’t even realize where he is going until Iwai greets him. “Hey,” he says as Akira as he walked into Untouchable.

Akira blinked trying to think about how he should respond. Apparently, his silence was concerning to the man.

“Kid?” 

“Hmm?”

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” Akira says too quickly.

Iwai sighs the kid was a decent liar when he wanted to be, but he knew the look on his face too well to ever be fooled by his words. “Come to the back, I think we should talk.”

Akira follows mutely.

“Spill,” Iwai orders when they are in the back, standing opposite one another.

“What are you-?”

“Don’t play me for a fool kid. I’ve seen that look on Kaoru way too much not to know what it means.” Iwai leans forward. “Who hurt you?” he growls.

Akira actually takes a step back.

Iwai sighs. “I’m not mad at you kid.”

A light of understanding appears in Akira’s eyes, and he offers a shaky smile. “Sor-sorry, I knew that, I just…” he trails of with a sigh,

Iwai waits, he sees the struggle in the kid, sees that he isn’t clamming up, but trying to put words to his own emotion, so he waits.

“I never belonged here,” the kid says. “If I wasn’t such an idiot I wouldn’t be here. It was the best mistake I ever made. I got to be… happy. I don’t deserve it though, and somehow… somehow none of them see that. I’m trying, trying to pull away, but I hate it,” he finishes with a snarl.

“Then stop trying.”

“It’s not that easy!” Akira snaps.

Iwai isn’t phased, surprised, yes, because the kid is usually so soft spoken, but yelling had long since lost its power over him, and more importantly he can tell Akira, much like he was trying to do to the others, seemed to be trying to push him away.

“Sorry, sorry, sorry,” the kid apologies like a cd track on a loop.

Iwai can’t help reaching out to hug him, there is too much similarity between this boy and his son, and if he is honest, he cares for Akira in that way as well. 

Akira flinches, but before Iwai can pull away, Akira is clutching needily at his coat, begging wordlessly for him to stay. Something shifts then, bringing a tension into the atmosphere. Iwai pulls back just a little, so that he can look at Akira.

The kid’s eyes are red, and he is flushed, likely from embarrassment, but there is something there, in his expression, a vulnerability that Iwai had never seen in him. It makes the man want to hunt down everyone that had ever hurt him, and show them why it was such a bad idea to hurt someone that he considered family. “Who hurt you?” he asks again.

Akira looks at him, and Iwai has no idea what the kid sees, but something in his expression must be amusing because the kid actually starts to giggle, and then chomps down on his fingers to stop himself.

Iwai immediately grabs the hand attached to those fingers and makes sure he hadn’t hurt them. They were red, but there didn’t seem to be any broken skin. He sighs in relief.

Akira gazes at him guiltily and then looks away.

Iwai needed answers and he needed them now. The kid was clearly hurting, even an oblivious idiot would recognize that, but there was something else, a fragility that didn’t seem to be there before, and most alarming of all what seemed to be self harming tendencies. 

“I need answers kid, either I get them from you or I call up those friends of yours.”

“No!” 

Iwai’s eyes narrowed, had his friends been the cause of this spiral? It was hard to believe, but-

Akira seemed to see the accusation in his eyes, and anger filled the boy. “They never hurt Kira! Love Kira! We a good family. Gana is warm and keep mares way at night an Ryu is tective like knight. Sissy is nice an make me plushies an Yu is brother. Mako is supa supa smart and know how make things make sense an Taba is best at games she shy but supa brave. Ruru is calm an like light an Sae Sae is fun an play even tho I is way Littler than her. Daddy… Daddy is best, jus best.”

After that spewing of words, Akira was panting. He gazed up at Iwai, and the man could identify the moment Akira realized what he had done because his face paled and suddenly he was in motion. Iwai followed him, arriving at the bathroom door just in time to hear the mechanism lock. Even with the door between them, Iwai can hear that Akira is crying.

It’s been a whirlwind, but Iwai’s no idiot, he can see that the mature boy that he knew was simply the other side of this coin. The vulnerable child came out with those he trusted, and it was wonderful to Iwai that he fell in that category. Right now though, he needed to calm him, get him to be honest, otherwise a lot of people were going to suffer for no reason at all.

“Kid, open the door.”

There is no change that indicates Akira hears him at all, and he sighs. He’d known it wouldn’t work, but he’d had to try. He sees that this will take a while so he closes up the shop, and then goes back to the bathroom door and just talks. “So I went home the other day, and Kaoru was there at the table studying, boy that kid is so unlike me. Which really is lucky, he’s going to go places, that kid could conquer the world if he wants to. I really am not good enough for him, but he loves me, somehow even knowing all he does, he loves me, and calls me dad. That kid, he’s going to kill me one day with all that kindness. You remind me of him, you know? You two have a lot in common, and it’s probably more than even I realize, but you also remind me of myself, just a bit. Maybe that’s why I trusted you so quickly.” 

The door clicks and opens. The boy looks shattered, but there is hope there too. Iwai opens his arms, and Akira hesitates before throwing himself into Iwai’s arms.

Enclosed in the embrace, Akira's muffled voice hits Iwai’s ears. “I was at school. There was another student… I thought I was used to people thinking I was evil and did everything from drugs to murder, I was fine with it, it was almost amusiing hearing the more creative rumors, and everyone that matters know I’m not that kind of person.”

“Go on,” Iwai encourages.

“He said I- said I assaulted someone,” the boy says, voice saturated in disgust. “It was… he said I…” Akira swallows. “It was... graphic, it made me feel sick like I was going to be sick and never stop being sick, and then someone else said my grades were good because I cheat, and I was already so angry from before and I screamed at her. Ann stopped me before I could do more than that, but the damage was done. I realized then that they would have to deal with that as long as they were around me. D- Sojiro, my guardian got sick right after that, and I know that it was at least partly because he spends so much energy on me. I hate that. I hate that they all get labeled worse things because of me, that they waste so much on me.”

“So their opinions don’t matter to you?”

Akira pulls away and looks at Iwai.

“I felt the same, remember? I felt that having me in his life would just make things hard for Kaoru to succeed. He told me quite plainly that I was his dad, and no matter what anyone said or did he knew the real me, and just didn’t care about those people who, if they had been in my position, probably wouldn’t have taken him in.”

“So what should i do?”

“Let them choose. They wouldn’t stay if they didn’t want to.”

“But-”

“Are you threatening them? Forcing them to stay by your side?”

“No!”

“Then they have the right to decide to stand by you.”

“But what if they get tired of me?”

Iwai knew that the chances of that were probably less than zero, but he was also aware that this was a genuine worry of Akira’s. He pulls away, grabbing Akira’s hand, and leading him to the front desk. “I had something I was going to give you ever since you told me that you were going away, but I think it would be better to give it to you now. Here.”

Akira looks at the pin in his hand. It’s clearly a gecko and he knew what that meant to Iwai. “Really?” he breathes.

“You’ll always have a place to go,” Iwai promises.

Akira laughs softly. It's a happy sound, and Iwai is happy to hear it. “Come with me to talk to them?” he asks. “ I… think I would be a bit braver if you were with me.”

“Really?”

Akira nods. “You remind me a lot of someone too.”

Iwai catches the reference to what he had said before, and says “Well I got nothing better to do today. Let’s go.”

Akira smiles. “Thank you.”

“Sure, kid.”

~

Chihaya dealt the cards, begging to see some kind of change. Tears welled in her eyes as she turned them over. “Thank goodness,” she said. She didn’t quite understand the placement of the hanged man, but the fool was once again capturing the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No notes at the beginning because it already took to long to update. Some of this had been planned, but I just couldn't make it work, and suddenly while working on something else I opened the doc for this and the chapter was written. I had thought this would be the last chapter, but it didn't turn out that way. Ah well, I think it turned out fairly well.


	12. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A conversation, a realization, and a conclusion.

“You ready?” Iwai asks as they stand in front of Leblanc. He can see the tremors in the kid’s body, no matter how hard he tries to hide them. Akira’s fear is so potent that Iwai can’t help worrying that the boy will pass out before he can manage to drum up the courage to open the door. He places a hand on Akira’s shoulder, to remind him that he wasn’t alone, and the boy looks up at him gratefully.

Akira takes a breath, and when he speaks his voice is surprisingly steady. “Let's go.” Iwai nods, and Akira opens the door so that the two of them walk inside Leblanc. 

Everyone is there, waiting for them, and Akira can’t help laughing at the scene they have made. The space is small, and even though they had spread out so that it wouldn’t be overwhelming to have them all there, all they had succeeded in doing was filling up the space and making it seem more crowded than it had ever been.

“We seem to be off to a good start,” Sojiro says with a cautious grin.

Akira looks at him. For all the humor in Sojiro’s statement, Akira could still tell that he was worried. That seemed to be an emotion shared by all of them, and there was also a lot of curiosity because of Iwai’s presence.

Silence reigned in the room, and as it went on, it became more and more uncomfortable, but no one seemed to know how to start the conversation, so Iwai decided to step in. “Don’t you have something that you wanted to say to them?” Iwai asks.

Akira nods. “I’m sorry everyone.”

When no one says anything in response to his apology, Akira continues. “I pulled away from you all, and I knew it would hurt you, but I did it anyway, so I’m sorry.”

“We’re sorry too,” Sojiro says.

Akira can’t help being shocked. He was the one that had done the wrong thing, what could any of them possibly have to apologize for. “Why?”

“We should have been clearer with you,” Ann said.

“We knew that you would think the worst if we didn’t tell you otherwise, but we still didn’t plainly state that we want you to stay,” Haru says.

“So we’ll do that now. We want you to stay with us, and we want you to talk to us when you have problems,” Futaba told him.

“But I- I’m bad for all of you. I mean now that I don’t have to be the leader anymore, it doesn’t seem worth it for all of you to-”

“I’m going to stop you there before you break our hearts even more than you already have,” Sojiro says. 

Akira stills, he wasn’t trying to hurt anyone, he was just trying to let them know that they would fare better if he wasn’t around to drag them down.

Sojiro softens his tone further. “You seem to think that you have to earn your right to be here, but you already have, just by being yourself. We like all the sides of you that have been shown to us, from stoic teen, to emotional toddler, and because we’re a selfish lot, we don’t want to let you go.”

“Akira,” Sae says, and she waits until she has his attention before she continues. “I know what it’s like, to feel like you have to be the strong person, who is never affected by anything because that would undermine everything you seek to accomplish. I also know what it feels like to sacrifice whatever you have to in pursuit of that goal. That was my life until the day I was given the chance to change, and I will be forever grateful for that. I’m a bit scared, because everything has changed for me, but I am happy. Do you understand?”

Akira stared at her as he mulled over her words. Scared, but happy. That was true for him too. He imagines a world where he was strong enough to resist his Little side, where he had been a little bit more capable of controlling himself, and it is horrible. He would have felt so lost, and alone, and when he had returned from the detention facility he would have simply fallen apart, because he would have had nothing to fall upon once the world had stolen everything from him. He had bonded with all them even deeper because he was a Little, and he wouldn’t ever want to go back to a time where they didn’t know, and he had to hide.

However unlikely, it seemed that was also true for all of them. They seemed to value the dynamic, and want to keep it, want to keep him. Finally he mattered, he wasn’t just the quiet boy that nobody really noticed, he wasn’t the criminal that lingering rumors made him out to be, he, for the first time in his life, was just him. He had no masks to hide behind or any need to for that matter. They wanted all of him, and the only thing he had to do was allow it.Their love didn’t come with conditions or price tags, all they were asking was for him to love them back, and to put enough value on himself enough to stop punishing himself for every perceived wrongdoing.

In that moment, he got to feel the dual sense of being weightless, and too heavy to support his own weight.

“Kid!” Iwai called out in alarm as he grabbed Akira before he fell to the ground.

Akira blinked up at him, still dazed from his realization. “They want to keep me,” he said, in a voice soft with wonder.

Iwai rolled his eyes. “Of course they do, kid.”

“I really have a home,” he says. 

“Obviously.”

Tears filled Akira’s eyes, and he turned so that Iwai was hugging him, and his face was hidden against the older man’s shirt.

When Akira finally managed to pull away, he was stuck, part of him wanted to continue the conversation, but to do that he needed to stay big, the other part of him wanted to be Little, and just put away all the complicated feelings for a while.

His emotions must have been clear, because Sojiro said, “I think we’ve said what we need too for now. Princess,” Sojiro called.

Sae blushed. It was weird being called that, in front of everyone, when she was the third oldest in the room, but she had to admit, all the worry had left her desiring some time to be Little.

“Yea, Uncle Jiro?” she replied.

Sojiro smiled warmly at her. “Will you go help your brothers get dressed while I start dinner for everyone. You guys can even play for a bit if you want to.”

Sae nodded, and Yusuke, and Akira followed to the stairs.

Suddenly, Kira turned back, and with the most authoritative voice he could manage he ordered, “Uncle Moon will stay.”

Iwai held back his laughter, and settled on smiling. “Wouldn’t dream of going anywhere, kid.”

Kira gave a firm nod, and followed the other Littles up the stairs.

Once he was out of earshot Iwai gave in to his laughter.

Sojiro smiled at the man. “Uncle Moon, huh.”

Iwai shrugged. “If that’s what he wants.”

Sojiro shook his head in mock sadness. “Yet another casualty to the cause.”

“He’s worth it.”

Sojiro smiled. “Yeah, he is.”

~

They were exhausted, but they had managed to collect all of the ingredients to lift the curse.

They had soared over mountains to retrieve the snow flower, dived under oceans to obtain aqua stones, fought wild beasts for their fur, and there had been more injuries than anyone would have liked, but they had all made it.

The next day, they went back to Unisis’s homeland.

“Will this really break the spell?” Unisis asked.

“Yes,” Logan told her. 

“Drake, some fire if you would,” said the bear.

“My pleasure,” the dragon replied, setting the collected wood alight with a bit of flame.

The bear placed a bowl over the heat, and added each item in turn. Then in a language long lost to the world, he began to chant.

Logan frowned, there had been no change. Was something missing?

Suddenly from the woods came a devil. 

“You!” Unisis yelled recognizing her as the witch. 

Ari laughed wickedly, and let out a burst of raw power stunning all of them, except Inari, who had managed to slip away unnoticed. “Sleep little horsey, and let my curse be as intended.”

Unisis struggled, but it was no use. Ari was just too powerful.

Just as the curse headed for Unisis, Inari intercepted it.

Unlike with magical beings, where the curse would have brought eternal slumber, the curse was fatal.

Drake roared at his bond with the little fox, began to break, and he spit fire at the witch.

Unisis cried out as well, and while Drake distracted Ari with fire, she pinned the witch to a tree. The magic was so raw and powerful, that the tree absorbed the witch completely.

The spell that held everyone faded, and they all circled the little fox.

Logan gathered the small fox in his arms, completely devastated.

“Wait,” Drake said, realizing through the haze of his grief that his bond to the fox was damaged, but not broken. “Give him to me, hurry!”

Logan laid the fox on the ground, and Drake laid down so that the fox was right against his heart. He focused on their bond, on healing the damage, and restoring what had been lost.

Inari woke with a groan. Everything hurt, everywhere, but it was nice to be awake again. Judging by the looks on everyone's faces, they were going to be coddling the life out of him, but he supposed he had brought that on himself.

Suddenly a plume of clear smoke rose from the forgotten bowl. The smoke circled Unisis, and then thickened, the fog like mist, drifted towards the kingdom. They all followed, and several hours later, the first last victim of the curse woke up.

~

“And everyone lived happily ever after,” Sae finished.

“Dat was a good story,” Kira said.

The other two nodded in agreement.

“Think everyone would like the thory?” Yu asked.

Kira smiled. “Yeah!”

“Let’s tell them the story over dinner then,” Sae suggested.

Akira nodded. “Good idea Sae Sae.”

With that, the three Littles, all of them attired in their favorite onesies, made their way downstairs, they had a story to tell, and from the smell of it, pizza to eat for dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm ending this here. It has certainly been a wild ride, and I'm quite proud of how this turned out.


End file.
